Carolina Panthers quarterback Andy Dalton just pulled a page out of Cam Newton’s book.
In a recent phone interview with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the 35-year-old said he believes there aren’t 32 passers in the NFL who are currently better than him.
“I view myself as a starter in this league; I don’t think there are 32 guys better than me,” Dalton told columnist 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.”
The situation he’s in now has him sitting behind Bryce Young, who was selected with the first overall pick of the 2023 NFL draft. The 13th-year veteran was brought in on a two-year, $10 million deal to—for the most part—help guide the franchise’s rookie quarterback through the early stages of his pro career.
But Dalton, of course, knows what he signed up for.
“I am in a really, really good situation here; (head coach) Frank Reich played til he was 38. He was a career backup,” Dalton added. “He understands the continuity you want in a (quarterback) room. (Panthers quarterbacks coach) Josh McCown played until he was 40.
“Josh was my friend for the last 10 years, and now he’s my coach.”
And now, in some sense, Dalton is a bit of a coach as well.
