CINCINNATI — The fans waited near the southwest tunnel of Paul Brown Stadium as the mood shifted from celebration to appreciation after the Cincinnati Bengals‘ 33-23 win over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.
With his helmet exchanged for a backward black ball cap, quarterback Andy Dalton ran off the field and into the tunnel, perhaps for the last time in a Bengals uniform. During his postgame news conference, Dalton acknowledged it could have been his final snaps with the franchise.
“I have no idea — no idea — what’s going to happen,” Dalton said. “But if it is [the end], you always want to end a game with taking a knee. Glad it was that for my last one, if that’s the case.”
The nine-year veteran repeatedly said he didn’t know what the plans are for his immediate future as the Bengals transition into the offseason. Dalton, 32, has one year remaining on his six-year, $96 million deal.
The Bengals, however, will have the top pick in the 2020 draft and could potentially trade Dalton, draft LSU‘s Joe Burrow and have a new starting quarterback next season.
Dalton is owed no money if the team decides to cut him during the offseason.
He was 16-of-28 for 190 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception in the victory against the Browns. Dalton also had a rushing touchdown as the Bengals snapped a 10-game losing streak to fellow AFC North opponents and ended a three-game skid to Cleveland.
Cincinnati (2-14), which had already clinched the worst record in the NFL this season, avoided the only one-loss season in franchise history.
“You always want to end the year on a high note,” Dalton said. “To get this one done, it meant a lot. We’ve been striving to play a complete game this whole year, and we hadn’t done it enough. We finally felt like we did that today.”
Sunday’s victory was a positive note in an otherwise tumultuous season.
Dalton entered Week 17 with a 37.5 Total QBR, which ranked 29th out of 32 qualifying quarterbacks and was the lowest of his career, according to ESPN Stats & Information data. He was benched for three games this season while the Bengals evaluated rookie Ryan Finley.
Dalton played a key role in both of the Bengals’ victories, though, and he helped close the season by scoring 30 points or more in back-to-back games.
“You can’t say enough great things about what Andy Dalton has meant for this team,” Cincinnati coach Zac Taylor said. “I thought he really played well for us today.”
The first-year coach demurred when asked whether he had coached Dalton for the final time, saying offseason plans will be sorted out starting Monday.
Bengals wide receiver Tyler Boyd, who surpassed 1,000 receiving yards for the second season in a row, said he wanted Dalton back next year.
“He was the reason I became who I was,” Boyd said.
It might not be that simple. On Sunday, Dalton — the team’s career leader in completions and passing touchdowns — again said he wants to be a starter in the NFL. The Bengals could give him that opportunity by trading him to another team in exchange for a draft pick that can be used during Cincinnati’s rebuilding process.
As Dalton walked off the field Sunday, the crowd chanted his name as he went past the fans and into the locker room to celebrate a victory in his 133rd career start in Cincinnati.
“I’ve spent my whole married life here, and my three kids have been raised here,” Dalton said. “The city has meant a lot to us. It feels good to get the appreciation from the fans chanting my name.”