As if there was any question, the Carolina Panthers’ starting quarterback job still belongs to Andy Dalton.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Panthers head coach Dave Canales confirmed that Dalton will remain the team’s starting quarterback for its Week 4 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. The announcement comes one week after Carolina made the surprising decision to bench 2023 No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young following an 0-2 start to the 2024 season and one day after Dalton helped lead the Panthers to their first win of the year, a 36-22 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders.
“Andy’s our quarterback,” Canales said, according to Ari Meirov. “He gives us the best chance to win.”
No surprise, but #Panthers HC Dave Canales confirms Andy Dalton will start Week 4 vs. the Bengals, his former team.
“Andy’s our quarterback. He gives us the best chance to win.” pic.twitter.com/ozQptck89o
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 23, 2024
It would be tough to argue otherwise based on the first three weeks of the 2024 season. After Young completed just 55.4 percent of his passes for 245 yards and three interceptions in losses to the New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Chargers, Dalton completed 26 of 37 attempts for 319 yards and three touchdowns in Sunday’s road win over Las Vegas.
The victory not only marked Carolina’s first of the 2024 season, but also Dalton’s first as a starting quarterback since the 2022 campaign, which he spent with the Saints. In a twist of fate, his second start for the Panthers this season will come against the Bengals, who the former TCU star spent the first nine seasons of his career with from 2011-2019.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.