In 2024, as a newly anointed primary quarterback of the Carolina Panthers, Andy Dalton didn’t waste any time proving why he got the spot. Against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 3, the very first drive saw him make a couple of deep throws to quickly put a score on the board in the 36-22 win. While head coach Dave Canales removed him after he couldn’t replicate the same results, he was still an experienced backup QB.

Fast forward two years and his name was again called in a Week 3 game as a Philadelphia Eagles QB2. But head coach Nick Sirianni wasn’t even looking for the exact same results. If anything, he wanted Dalton to simply hold the fort while Jalen Hurts got checked for a concussion. It is fair to say that the fort fell apart like a house of cards; and so did Dalton’s safe spot as a QB2.

“Report: Eagles to release Andy Dalton,” ESPN’s Mike Garafolo broke the news.

With 6:23 on the clock and the Eagles facing a 3rd & 2, the team had a good chance of scoring in the drive against the Chicago Bears. If nothing, at least a field goal.

Replacing Hurts for only that throw, Dalton threw the ball into the end zone towards Dontayvion Wicks. Before the wide receiver could get the ball, however, Bears safety Dillon Thieneman caught the ball and what could’ve been a chance to tie the game or get something on the board, became the end of the drive. Hurts was later cleared to return but the damage was already done.

On September 16, many wondered why Dalton was chosen as the backup over Tanner McKee and Cole Payton. However, Sirianni had a simple response

“That’s who won the job in camp,” the head coach told reporters then.

It clearly changed how the team perceived the veteran backup because his position in the team had a downhill tumble from there.

Within days, he was moved to QB3 as Tanner McKee was elevated to QB2 against the Rams for Week 4. And after practice on Friday afternoon (October 9), the team cut ties with Dalton. At the time of multiple changes, the head coach wishes his players stick together.

“I feel really confident in the room of who we have in there and the direction we’re moving toward,” Sirianni said. “When you lock arms and you go through those things together, those naturally bring people together, too.”

The decision trims the quarterback room down to three. McKee and Cole Payton will now back up Jalen Hurts as the Eagles get ready to face the Jacksonville Jaguars in London on Sunday. Dalton later explained that he didn’t initially expect to throw and called it a “costly decision” while revealing what really happened.

“I thought they said something for an injury timeout,” Dalton said. “So I thought that I was going to be going in just at least for one play because I didn’t know exactly what it was. … We get down there, I can’t put ourselves in a bad position like that. I mean, costly turnover at a tough time, man. That’s points on the board.”

Mike Garafolo of NFL Media didn’t specify how McKee and Payton line up on the depth chart, but he did note that Dalton’s story may not be over.

Dalton could stick around in Philadelphia for one reason

Dalton was specifically brought in for one reason, and that just might save his job.

Philadelphia could still bring him back, either on the 53-man roster or the practice squad. The experience gap in the room is big.

Dalton started 169 games across 16 seasons from 2011 to 2026 for an 84-83-2 record. On the other hand, McKee has just two starts from six games played. Payton, a fifth-round rookie, has yet to appear in a regular season game.

Dalton was in his first season in Philadelphia after spending the past three years as a depth option for the Carolina Panthers. The Eagles acquired him in March for a seventh-round pick. He played in three preseason games, going 18 of 35 for 168 yards and a touchdown without being picked off. His exit is just one piece of a busy week.

The team also faced a major change on the offensive line, with right tackle Lane Johnson announcing his retirement Tuesday. In addition to that, two-time Pro Bowl center Cam Jurgens was traded to the Ravens along with a future pick in exchange for a 2027 fifth-round pick and a 2028 second-rounder.

On top of all that, injuries are stacking up as the Eagles prepare to take on the AFC South-leading Jaguars in London on Sunday.

Eagles ruled out five players ahead of Week 5 matchup

The Eagles head to London for Week 5 against the Jacksonville Jaguars with a long list of absences. Friday’s final injury report ruled out five players.

• Saquon Barkley was sidelined throughout the week because of a hamstring injury, while Bigsby remained on injured reserve with an abdominal issue. The Eagles brought in Carson Steele to bolster the position, leaving them with three healthy running backs. Will Shipley will be the RB1 on Sunday, with Steele and Dameon Pierce rotating in behind him.
• At receiver, DeVonta Smith misses a second game in a row with a hamstring injury.
• Hollywood Brown is out with an ankle problem. That leaves five wideouts: Dontayvion Wicks, Darius Cooper, Makai Lemon, Elijah Moore, and Britain Covey.
• Up front, Drew Kendall’s absence leaves the Eagles leaning on their third-string center. Jake Majors gets the call from the practice squad and will be the starting center, according to ESPN’s Tim McManus, who reported that Philadelphia elevated two practice squad players.
  It’s a big ask for Majors, a 2025 undrafted rookie who has never played in a regular-season game and didn’t look sharp during training camp this summer.
• On defense, Epps is out for a second straight game. Andrew Mukuba and Cooper DeJean will start at safety. In nickel, DeJean moves to the slot and Michael Carter II drops back to safety.

Overall, Philadelphia will lean heavily on depth across the board in London while Hurts will need to stay on the field to avoid testing how his backups play.