The Carolina Panthers announced Tuesday that quarterback Andy Dalton was involved in a car accident in Charlotte earlier in the day.
According to the team, Dalton’s wife, three children and a dog were in the car when the crash occurred in southeast Charlotte. None of Dalton’s family required emergency transportation from the crime scene. Dalton was being evaluated by medical team personnel at the time of the announcement.
At the time of the announcement, no other details about the circumstances of the accident or resulting injuries were clear.
Dalton, 36, is Carolina’s starting quarterback. Dalton, a 14th-year NFL veteran and Pro Bowler with the Cincinnati Bengals, signed with the Panthers before the 2023 season to back up then-rookie quarterback Bryce Young.
Dalton briefly played in relief of Young in 2023 and then took over as Carolina’s starting quarterback in Week 3 of this season, when Young was benched for poor performance during an 0-2 start. Dalton started for Carolina in Week 3 in a 36-22 win over the Las Vegas Raiders and has remained the starting Panthers quarterback since a 1-5 start to the season.
While it appears Dalton and his family avoided serious injury, initial reports were unclear as to whether the accident put Dalton at risk of missing time on the field. If Dalton were to miss time, Young would be the next quarterback on Carolina’s depth chart. Carolina next plays the Broncos in Denver on Sunday.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
