Longtime NFL veteran and Carolina Panthers quarterback Andy Dalton has settled into his role as the backup for Bryce Young, though his 2025 season may have hit a snag before it could even get off the ground.
The 37-year-old signal-caller was knocked out of the Panthers’ second preseason game against the Houston Texans after attempting just four passes.
What Happened to Panthers Quarterback Andy Dalton?
According to Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer, Dalton’s injury appears to be to his right elbow.
QB Andy Dalton (right elbow) will not return to the game. Jack Plummer is warming up. #Panthers
— Mike Kaye (@mike_e_kaye) August 16, 2025
Dalton was the Panthers’ primary quarterback in their first preseason game against the Cleveland Browns, completing 13 passes on 19 attempts for 101 yards and an interception.
He is expected to serve as the QB2 in Carolina this season, if health permits. Jack Plummer took his spot after he left the game against the Texans; the rookie from Louisville is currently the only other quarterback on the Panthers’ active roster.
Dalton, originally drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft, has become something of a journeyman following a nine-year stint in the Queen City. Between his tenures with the Bengals and Panthers, he’s spent time with the Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears, and New Orleans Saints, starting at least six games in each of those stops.
He’s spent the past two seasons in North Carolina, playing in nine games while starting six. He’s been far from a world-beater in that time, playing to a 1-5 record while completing 64.2% of his passes while throwing for nine touchdowns and six interceptions.
Nevertheless, Dalton is a valuable veteran mentor for Young, who is approaching a crucial third season in the NFL. Panthers head coach Dave Canales has been effusive in his praise of the veteran, especially when Dalton was subbed in and out of the lineup during the middle of last season while Young was struggling badly in his first year in Canales’ system.
From a fantasy perspective, Dalton’s injury isn’t super relevant, as he wasn’t expected to see playing time barring an injury to Young. Even in that circumstance, though, the veteran quarterback doesn’t offer enough upside with his arm or legs to justify a place on fantasy rosters in any format.
The severity of the injury has yet to be revealed, though the Panthers were right to be cautious given that the sore spot is Dalton’s throwing elbow. He completed two passes on four attempts for 22 yards before being removed from the game.
#Update: Canales has confirmed that Dalton “will undergo imaging on his elbow” on Sunday, but the veteran quarterback has said he is fine.
