The Eagles did not end up getting the quarterback they reportedly wanted back.
After Jalen Hurts’ blood clot situation forced Philadelphia to add depth at the position, the team signed Joe Milton III off the Dallas Cowboys’ practice squad last week. But Milton III was not the first option. According to a report from Pro Football Talk, the Eagles tried to bring Andy Dalton back to Philadelphia, and Dalton “politely declined.”
Dalton opened the 2026 season as Philly’s No. 2 quarterback behind Hurts, but that stay at the top of the depth chart didn’t last long. He was dropped to No. 3 after throwing an interception on his only pass attempt as an Eagle, and the team released him on the Friday before its Week 5 game. Even then, there was talk that he could return.
Now, though, Dalton is reportedly moving on. PFT says he will join a new team “as soon as tomorrow.”
That leaves Philadelphia in a very different spot than it imagined when it first turned to the veteran. Dalton, who turns 39 later this month, reportedly looked physically diminished during offseason practices and preseason games.
And with the Eagles possibly facing a lost season, there isn’t much upside in forcing a reunion anyway. He’s not the kind of quarterback who changes the short-term outlook, and there’s no long-term value to chase there either.
In Week 6, the Eagles had rookie Cole Payton as their No. 2 quarterback and Milton III as the emergency third option. Neither is a polished answer for the future, but there is at least some intrigue there. If either one gets a real chance, it’ll be worth watching.
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