Former Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton still believes he’s one of the best 32 passers in the NFL as he enters Year 13, his first with the Carolina Panthers.
Dalton says he still wouldn’t be in the league if he didn’t carry that mindset, though he admits while he wants to start, he’s more than happy to help the next generation of passers, too.
“I view myself as a starter in this league; I don’t think there are 32 guys better than me,” Dalton said, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Mac Engel. “But this is the situation I am in, and I understand that. As soon as I don’t think I’m one of the best 32, or a little lower, I’ll be watching football on TV.”
With the Panthers, Dalton will help mentor No. 1 pick Bryce Young. Before that, he spent a season in Chicago, helping along Justin Fields and before that served as Dak Prescott’s backup in Dallas.
Bengals fans weren’t shy about wondering if Dalton would have a future in coaching. He’s not there just yet, but his current trajectory of serving as the professional backup to younger passers sure seems to have things headed in that direction.
