10 things to know about new Cowboys QB Andy Dalton, like his missing luggage and how Drake ‘predicted’ his - The Dallas Morning News

The Dallas Cowboys’ quarterback room added a big name on Saturday night. Nine-year league veteran Andy Dalton signed a one-year deal with Dallas.

Dalton, who was released by the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday, has many Texas ties and is quite a character.

Here are 10 things to know about Dalton:

The basics

Born: October 29, 1987

Height: 6-foot-2

Weight: 220 pounds

College: TCU

Those Texas ties

Andy Dalton will be playing football in Texas for the first time (roadtrips aside) since he was drafted into the league in 2011.

Dalton grew up west of Houston and played football at Katy high School. He was the Tigers’ starting quarterback for 1.5 seasons, spanning from 2004-2005. As a senior, Dalton threw for 2,877 yards with 42 touchdowns, and was named Greater Houston Area Offensive Player of the Year by the Houston Chronicle.

Dalton led the Tigers all the way to the UIL state finals that season, but was defeated by Southlake Carroll, 34-20. That Carroll team would eventually be declared the national champions of high school football.

Despite those impressive passing numbers, Dalton’s list of college offers wasn’t eye-popping by any means. 247Sports.com lists Dalton choosing from only Group 5 schools, like Memphis, San Diego State and UT-El Paso, with no Power-5 offers. The three-star prospect eventually committed to TCU, then a member school of the Mountain West Conference.

Purple reign

When Dalton signed his letter of intent to play at TCU, nobody knew he would join the likes of Davey O’Brien and “Slingin” Sammy Baugh among the best quarterbacks in school history.

Dalton was an instrumental part of TCU Football’s renaissance in the late 2000s, and his on-field success helped the Horned Frogs earn an invite to the Big 12 just one season after his final snaps in Fort Worth.

So, thanks Andy.

Dalton redshirted as a freshman, but won the starting job as a sophomore and led TCU to a respectable 8-5 record. He would go 34-3 as a starter for the rest of his collegiate career, including a perfect regular season (12-0) as a senior in 2009.

Dalton would stick around an extra year, leading the Horned Frogs to a 13-0 record and a 2011 Rose Bowl victory over Wisconsin.

He set many new benchmarks at TCU, including school records for career wins, passing yards, completions, and completion percentage.

Longevity in Ohio

“Accurate throws, good decisions.”

That’s how ESPN’s Mel Kiper described Dalton after he was selected 35th overall by the Bengals in the 2011 NFL Draft.

That draft was saturated with quarterbacks. Dalton was the first QB taken outside the first round, behind No. 1 overall pick Cam Newton (Auburn, Panthers), Jake Locker (Washington, Titans), Blaine Gabbert (Missouri, Jaguars) and Christian Ponder (Florida State, Vikings).

Colin Kaepernick (Nevada) was selected by the San Francisco 49ers immediately after Dalton with the 36th overall pick.

Yet, Dalton has played more professional games (133) than any of the QBs drafted around him. Like Newton, Gabbert and Ponder, he contributed immediately. But his longevity and relatively healthy stretch with the Bengals is impressive. Dalton has played in at least 11 games in each of his nine NFL seasons, and has never played a game he hasn’t started.

Some may criticize his recent numbers and Cincinnati’s abysmal start to the 2019 season, but Dalton proved to be dependable throughout his tenure in southern Ohio.

In good company

Here are some interesting factoids about Andy Dalton’s career in Cincinnati:

— Dalton is one of five QBs in league history to have thrown for 3,000-plus yards in each of his first three seasons. The others are Cam Newton, Peyton Manning, Andrew Luck, and Russell Wilson.

— Dalton is one of five NFL QBs to have passed for at least 20 touchdowns in each of his first three seasons. The others are Manning, Luck, Wilson, and Dan Marino.

— Dalton is the only quarterback to lead the Bengals to four consecutive playoff berths.

— Dalton holds the franchise records for passing yards in a season (4,293) and touchdowns in a season (33).

— Last year, he became the first NFL quarterback since 1950 to lead his team to an 8-0 and 0-8 start in a season during his career.

— In the NFL: 31,594 passing yards, 204 touchdowns, 118 interceptions, with three Pro Bowl appearances.

His career vs. the Cowboys

The clip above doesn’t have many Bengals highlights. Too bad, so sad.

But Dalton has faced the Cowboys twice in his career, once in Cincinnati and once in Dallas.

In 2012, Dallas edged Cincinnati at Paul Brown Stadium, 20-19. Dalton completed 20 of 33 passes for 206 yards, 1 TD and 1 interception. The Cowboys sacked him 5 times.

Dalton’s statline improved when the Bengals visited Dallas in 2016, though the scoreboard looked slightly uglier. The Cowboys won 28-14. Dalton completed 29 of 41 passes for 269 yards and two scores.

The "Red Rifle”

Not to be confused with an official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle.

Just... Red Rifle.

That’s the nickname bestowed upon Andy Dalton, thanks to those gorgeous, flowing red locks. We can’t confirm if he’s ever had a hair-care sponsorship, but it’s a crime if he hasn’t.

We also found this instructional video so your local barber can give you “the Andy Dalton” look. You know, once social distancing needs are reduced and your hair place reopens.

#bagsearch2016

So, remember that loss to the Cowboys in 2016?

Yeah... it may not have been the worst ordeal Dalton went through during that weekend in Dallas.

Dalton straight up lost his bags. Like, all of them. And Dallasites on Twitter helped him out!

His suitcases fell out of his truck bed near the U.S. 75/I-635 interchange while Dalton was heading for D-FW airport.

After posting about the accident on Twitter, his luggage was eventually recovered. Some guy named Robert found them.

At least Dalton fumbled his bags, and not the ball.

This crazy comeback

That time Andy Dalton threw for 2 TDs, a two-point conversion and ran for a two-point conversion in the final 30 seconds to force OT vs Miami.

Insanity 😳

(via @NFL) pic.twitter.com/mPpeKsyX6Q

— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) May 3, 2020

The Bengals did not win this game.

Counterpoint: The comeback Andy Dalton led to force overtime was absolutely astounding.

The Bengals scored two touchdowns, and Dalton converted two 2-point conversions... all in the final 30 seconds of the game.

Just... just watch the clip. It was possibly Dalton’s greatest feat of the 2019 season.

Did Drake predict Andy Dalton to Dallas?

Caution: This song contains explicit lyrics.

Multi-Grammy Award winner Drake (yes, the rapper) literally dropped this song last week as part of his new album, Dark Lane Demo Tapes.

And the song “Desires”, featuring Future, contains a peculiar lyric that may have predicted Andy Dalton signing with the Cowboys.

It just feels too perfect, right?!?

Andy Dalton is from Katy, Texas.

Now he’ll be playing in Dallas, Texas.

You know? A different environment.

C’mon people! That can’t be a coincidence. Drake is well-connected in the professional sports world. Maybe he knows Dalton’s agent? Maybe that’s how Drake got the scoop before all of us, and wrote a song about it.

Genius.

Find more Cowboys stories from The Dallas Morning News here.

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