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Andy Dalton (American football)
Encyclopedia
Andrew Gregory Dalton is an American
professional football
quarterback
for the National Football League's
Cincinnati Bengals
. He played college football
at Texas Christian University
. In his final college game, Dalton led the Horned Frogs
to a 21-19 victory over Wisconsin in the 2011
Rose Bowl
.
Dalton was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals
in the second round (thirty-fifth overall) of the 2011 NFL draft
. He signed a four-year deal worth $
5.2 million.
in Katy
, Texas
. He led the Tigers to the state finals his senior year in 2005. That year, he was named the Greater Houston Area
offensive player of the year by the Houston Chronicle
. During his high school career, Dalton completed 80 percent of his passes for 15,550 yards with 70 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Dalton married TCU and Zeta Tau Alpha
alum Jordan Jones, now Dalton, in July 2011.
his freshman year, but he traveled with the team to every road game and was listed as the Horned Frogs' third-string quarterback behind senior Jeff Ballard and redshirt freshman Marcus Jackson.
Entering the 2007 season
, Dalton was in competition with Jackson to be the starting quarterback. Two weeks before the season opener against Baylor
, TCU head coach Gary Patterson
named Dalton the starter. After going 8-5 as a freshman, he would accumulate a record of 34-3 as a starter for the rest of his career at TCU. He missed just two games.
On September 4, 2010, Andy Dalton recorded his thirtieth victory as the Horned Frogs starting quarterback, passing Sammy Baugh
as TCU's all-time wins leader. Against Baylor
, Dalton completed 21 of 23 pass attempts for 267 yards and two touchdowns
, and was named the Mountain West Conference
offensive player of the week. On January 1, 2011, Dalton, who completed 194 of 293 passes for 2638 yards for 26 touchdowns during his senior season, led his team to a victory in the Rose Bowl
in Pasadena, California
.
Dalton holds school career records for wins (42), touchdown
passes (71), passing yards (10,314), pass attempts (1,317), completions (812), completion percentage (61.6). He also set single-season records for touchdown passes (27), passing yards (2,857), completion percentage (66.1), which were all set in the 2010 season
; and attempts (371) and completions (222), which were set in the 2007 season
. He also holds the single game record for highest completion percentage, 91.3 percent, which was set against Baylor in 2010.
, which could have endangered part or all of the 2011 NFL season
, there was much speculation over who would be the Bengals' starting quarterback: Dalton or recently-signed veteran free agent
Bruce Gradkowski
. Carson Palmer
, the first overall draft pick in 2003
, demanded to be traded
or released; Bengals owner Mike Brown refused to do either. The lockout was averted. On August 8, 2011, before their first pre-season game versus the Detroit Lions
, Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis
released his first depth chart
per NFL rules, but noted that it meant little; he was just following the NFL's rules. On the chart, Andy Dalton was listed as the first-string quarterback, followed by Gradkowski. On November 3, 2011, Dalton was named the NFL Offensive rookie of the month for October. Dalton led the Bengals to a 4-0 record with 909 yards passing and 6 Touchdowns in the month.
Andy Dalton and A.J. Green are known as the Christmas Connection, due to Andy Dalton's red hair (his nickname is The Red Rocket) and A.J. Green's last name.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
for the National Football League's
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Texas Christian University
Texas Christian University
Texas Christian University is a private, coeducational university located in Fort Worth, Texas, United States and founded in 1873. TCU is affiliated with, but not governed by, the Disciples of Christ...
. In his final college game, Dalton led the Horned Frogs
TCU Horned Frogs football
The TCU Horned Frogs football team is the intercollegiate football team of Texas Christian University. TCU competes as a member of the Mountain West Conference in the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, but will move to the Big 12 Conference for the 2012 season. TCU began playing football...
to a 21-19 victory over Wisconsin in the 2011
2011 Rose Bowl
The 2011 Rose Bowl was the 97th edition of the annual bowl game played on January 1, 2011, as part of the 2010 college football season. Played in Pasadena, California, the TCU Horned Frogs of the Mountain West Conference defeated the Wisconsin Badgers of the Big Ten Conference. The Pasadena...
Rose Bowl
Rose Bowl Game
The Rose Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game, usually played on January 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. When New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the game is played on Monday, January 2...
.
Dalton was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
in the second round (thirty-fifth overall) of the 2011 NFL draft
2011 NFL Draft
The 2011 NFL Draft was the 76th installment of the annual NFL Draft, where the franchises of the National Football League select newly eligible football players...
. He signed a four-year deal worth $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
5.2 million.
Personal life
Andy Dalton attended Katy High SchoolKaty High School
Katy High School is a high school located in Katy, Texas, United States and serves grades 9 through 12. It is a part of the Katy Independent School District...
in Katy
Katy, Texas
Katy is a city located in Harris, Fort Bend and Waller Counties in the U.S. state of Texas, within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. He led the Tigers to the state finals his senior year in 2005. That year, he was named the Greater Houston Area
Greater Houston
Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown is a 10-county metropolitan area defined by the Office of Management and Budget. It is located along the Gulf Coast region in the U.S. state of Texas...
offensive player of the year by the Houston Chronicle
Houston Chronicle
The Houston Chronicle is the largest daily newspaper in Texas, USA, headquartered in the Houston Chronicle Building in Downtown Houston. , it is the ninth-largest newspaper by circulation in the United States...
. During his high school career, Dalton completed 80 percent of his passes for 15,550 yards with 70 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Dalton married TCU and Zeta Tau Alpha
Zeta Tau Alpha
Zeta Tau Alpha is a women's fraternity, founded October 15, 1898 at the State Female Normal School in Farmville, Virginia. The Executive office is located in Indianapolis, Indiana...
alum Jordan Jones, now Dalton, in July 2011.
College career
Andy Dalton committed to Texas Christian University. He was redshirtedRedshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
his freshman year, but he traveled with the team to every road game and was listed as the Horned Frogs' third-string quarterback behind senior Jeff Ballard and redshirt freshman Marcus Jackson.
Entering the 2007 season
2007 TCU Horned Frogs football team
The 2007 Texas Christian Horned Frog football team represented Texas Christian University in the 2007 college football season. The team was coached by Gary Patterson, who took over the program in December 2000. The Frogs play their home games in Amon G...
, Dalton was in competition with Jackson to be the starting quarterback. Two weeks before the season opener against Baylor
Baylor Bears football
The Baylor Bears football team represents Baylor University in Division I FBS college football. They are a member of the Big 12 Conference. The team plays its home games at Floyd Casey Stadium in Waco, Texas.-History:...
, TCU head coach Gary Patterson
Gary Patterson
Gary Patterson is the head coach of the TCU Horned Frogs college football team. He grew up in Rozel, Kansas and played football at Dodge City Community College and Kansas State University. Patterson is married to Kelsey Patterson . He has three sons: Josh, Cade and Blake...
named Dalton the starter. After going 8-5 as a freshman, he would accumulate a record of 34-3 as a starter for the rest of his career at TCU. He missed just two games.
On September 4, 2010, Andy Dalton recorded his thirtieth victory as the Horned Frogs starting quarterback, passing Sammy Baugh
Sammy Baugh
Samuel Adrian "Slingin' Sammy" Baugh was an American football player and coach. He played college football for the Horned Frogs at Texas Christian University, where he was a two-time All-American. He then played in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins from 1937 to 1952...
as TCU's all-time wins leader. Against Baylor
2010 Baylor Bears football team
The 2010 Baylor Bears football team represented Baylor University in college football's 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Art Briles and played their home games at Floyd Casey Stadium in Waco, Texas. They are members of the Big 12 Conference in the South Division...
, Dalton completed 21 of 23 pass attempts for 267 yards and two touchdowns
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
, and was named the Mountain West Conference
Mountain West Conference
The Mountain West Conference , popularly known as the Mountain West, is the youngest of the college athletic conferences affiliated with the NCAA’s Division I FBS . The MWC officially began operations in July 1999...
offensive player of the week. On January 1, 2011, Dalton, who completed 194 of 293 passes for 2638 yards for 26 touchdowns during his senior season, led his team to a victory in the Rose Bowl
2011 Rose Bowl
The 2011 Rose Bowl was the 97th edition of the annual bowl game played on January 1, 2011, as part of the 2010 college football season. Played in Pasadena, California, the TCU Horned Frogs of the Mountain West Conference defeated the Wisconsin Badgers of the Big Ten Conference. The Pasadena...
in Pasadena, California
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
.
Dalton holds school career records for wins (42), touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
passes (71), passing yards (10,314), pass attempts (1,317), completions (812), completion percentage (61.6). He also set single-season records for touchdown passes (27), passing yards (2,857), completion percentage (66.1), which were all set in the 2010 season
2010 TCU Horned Frogs football team
The 2010 TCU Horned Frogs football team represented Texas Christian University in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by tenth year head coach Gary Patterson and played its home games at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas...
; and attempts (371) and completions (222), which were set in the 2007 season
2007 TCU Horned Frogs football team
The 2007 Texas Christian Horned Frog football team represented Texas Christian University in the 2007 college football season. The team was coached by Gary Patterson, who took over the program in December 2000. The Frogs play their home games in Amon G...
. He also holds the single game record for highest completion percentage, 91.3 percent, which was set against Baylor in 2010.
College stats
| Year | Team | Attempts | Completions | Completion % | Yards | TDs | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 2006 TCU Horned Frogs football team TCU began the 2006 season with high expectations. After a 2005 season where the TCU Horned Frogs lost only one game and won the Mountain West Conference championship, nothing less was expected of the Frogs in 2006. The season would start with two old Southwest Conference foes, and Texas Tech... |
TCU Texas Christian University Texas Christian University is a private, coeducational university located in Fort Worth, Texas, United States and founded in 1873. TCU is affiliated with, but not governed by, the Disciples of Christ... |
|
|||||
| 2007 2007 TCU Horned Frogs football team The 2007 Texas Christian Horned Frog football team represented Texas Christian University in the 2007 college football season. The team was coached by Gary Patterson, who took over the program in December 2000. The Frogs play their home games in Amon G... |
TCU Texas Christian University Texas Christian University is a private, coeducational university located in Fort Worth, Texas, United States and founded in 1873. TCU is affiliated with, but not governed by, the Disciples of Christ... |
371 | 222 | 59.8% | 2,459 | 10 | 11 |
| 2008 2008 TCU Horned Frogs football team The 2008 TCU Horned Frogs football team represented Texas Christian University in the 2008 college football season. The team was coached by Gary Patterson. The Frogs played their home games at Amon G. Carter Stadium, which is located on campus in Fort Worth... |
TCU Texas Christian University Texas Christian University is a private, coeducational university located in Fort Worth, Texas, United States and founded in 1873. TCU is affiliated with, but not governed by, the Disciples of Christ... |
307 | 182 | 59.3% | 2,242 | 11 | 5 |
| 2009 2009 TCU Horned Frogs football team The 2009 TCU Horned Frogs football team represented Texas Christian University in the 2009 college football season. The team was coached by Gary Patterson. The Frogs played their home games at Amon G. Carter Stadium, which is located on campus in Fort Worth. The Horned Frogs finished the season... |
TCU Texas Christian University Texas Christian University is a private, coeducational university located in Fort Worth, Texas, United States and founded in 1873. TCU is affiliated with, but not governed by, the Disciples of Christ... |
323 | 199 | 61.6% | 2,756 | 23 | 8 |
| 2010 2010 TCU Horned Frogs football team The 2010 TCU Horned Frogs football team represented Texas Christian University in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by tenth year head coach Gary Patterson and played its home games at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas... |
TCU Texas Christian University Texas Christian University is a private, coeducational university located in Fort Worth, Texas, United States and founded in 1873. TCU is affiliated with, but not governed by, the Disciples of Christ... |
316 | 209 | 66.1% | 2,857 | 27 | 6 |
| College Totals | 1,317 | 812 | 61.7% | 10,314 | 71 | 30 | |
NFL career
After an off-season dominated by the threat of a lockout2011 NFL lockout
The 2011 National Football League lockout was a lockout that lasted from March 11 to July 25. It occurred primarily during the offseason for 18 weeks and 4 days...
, which could have endangered part or all of the 2011 NFL season
2011 NFL season
The 2011 NFL season, the 92nd regular season of the National Football League, began on Thursday, September 8, 2011 with the Super Bowl XLV champion Green Bay Packers defeating the New Orleans Saints 42–34 at Lambeau Field and will end with Super Bowl XLVI, the league's championship game, on...
, there was much speculation over who would be the Bengals' starting quarterback: Dalton or recently-signed veteran free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
Bruce Gradkowski
Bruce Gradkowski
Bruce Raymond Gradkowski is an American Football quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the sixth round of the 2006 NFL Draft after playing college football at Toledo.Gradkowski has previously been a member of the Tampa...
. Carson Palmer
Carson Palmer
Carson Palmer is an American professional football quarterback for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals first overall in the 2003 NFL Draft. He played collegiately at the University of Southern California and won the Heisman Trophy in 2002...
, the first overall draft pick in 2003
2003 NFL Draft
The 2003 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. The draft is known officially as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting" and has been conducted annually since 1936. The draft was held April 26–27, 2003 at the Theatre at...
, demanded to be traded
Trade (sports)
In professional sports, a trade is a sports league transaction involving an exchange of players' contracts or draft picks between teams. Cash is another commodity that may be packaged together with contracts or draft picks to complete a trade...
or released; Bengals owner Mike Brown refused to do either. The lockout was averted. On August 8, 2011, before their first pre-season game versus the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
, Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis
Marvin Lewis
Marvin Ronald Lewis is the head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League, a position he has held since January 14, 2003...
released his first depth chart
Depth chart
In sports, a depth chart is used to show the placements of the starting players and the secondary players. Generally a starting player will be listed first or on top while a back-up will be listed below...
per NFL rules, but noted that it meant little; he was just following the NFL's rules. On the chart, Andy Dalton was listed as the first-string quarterback, followed by Gradkowski. On November 3, 2011, Dalton was named the NFL Offensive rookie of the month for October. Dalton led the Bengals to a 4-0 record with 909 yards passing and 6 Touchdowns in the month.
Andy Dalton and A.J. Green are known as the Christmas Connection, due to Andy Dalton's red hair (his nickname is The Red Rocket) and A.J. Green's last name.