Andy Dalton is expected to land with a new team soon after turning down a chance to return to Philadelphia.
On NBC Sports’ Football Night In America, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio said Dalton told the Eagles “no thank you” when they reached out about bringing him back. Philadelphia had acquired Dalton in an offseason trade with the Panthers and initially handed him the backup job behind Jalen Hurts after a preseason battle with Tanner McKee.
That setup didn’t last. Dalton was pushed down the depth chart after he threw an end zone interception while filling in for Hurts, who had exited to be checked for a concussion.
Injuries elsewhere on the roster later forced the Eagles to release him. Then came another twist: Hurts went down this past week because of a blood clot issue.
With the quarterback room suddenly in flux, McKee got the start in a Week 6 loss to the Panthers, and Philadelphia added Joe Milton from the Cowboys’ practice squad to pair with fifth-round pick Cole Payton on the 53-man roster.
Dalton, now 38, has been around the league long enough to know how fast things can change. A second-round pick by the Bengals in 2011, he was in the final year of his seven-year, $97.09 million contract when Cincinnati moved on from him, a deal that included $17 million guaranteed.
From there, Dalton kept finding work. He signed with the Cowboys on a one-year deal after the draft as a backup, then the Bears brought him in for the 2021 season with the intention of making him their starter before eventually pivoting to rookie Justin Fields. He then spent time with the Saints on a one-year deal, signed a two-year contract with Carolina, and later landed a two-year, $8 million extension with the Panthers last offseason.
Carolina traded him to Philadelphia this offseason for a 2027 seventh-round pick, only for the Eagles to cut ties with him in October.
In 2025, Dalton played in four games for the Panthers and made one start. He completed 25 of 37 passes for 293 yards, with one touchdown and one interception.
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