Cincinnati Bengals: All-time passing leaders in franchise history

Cincinnati Bengals All-Time Passing Leaders – No. 2: Andy Dalton (31,594)

Bengals Quarterback from 2011-2019

With Palmer’s future in Cincinnati up in the air, the Bengals decided to do what was best for them and select a quarterback in the 2011 NFL Draft. That quarterback was Andy Dalton, who was coming off a prolific season at TCU and became the Bengals’ second-round pick as a result.

Dalton was the Bengals’ starting quarterback from Day 1 and played so well as a rookie that the team felt comfortable trading Palmer to the Raiders. Dalton went on to hold the starting job for the next nine years and started all 16 games for the first four years of his career.

Dalton started off hot in Cincinnati, leading the Bengals to the playoffs in each of his first five seasons but he and the team failed to secure a win in any of those appearances. After that, things went downhill for Dalton and the Bengals, as injuries began to take their toll a little more and the 2019 season was it for the Red Rifle in Cincinnati.

The Bengals won just two games and had the top pick in the following draft where they took Joe Burrow. Dalton was released and eventually landed with the Cowboys and later the Bears.

When it was all said and done, Dalton threw for 31,594 yards, 204 touchdowns, and 118 interceptions through 133 starts. He never got the respect he deserved throughout the rest of the league but Bengals fans will always be grateful for Dalton and what he did for this organization.