Sun Oct 26 14:00:00 UTC 2025: ## Panthers to Start Andy Dalton at QB Against Bills, Young Doubtful with Ankle Injury
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Veteran quarterback Andy Dalton will lead the Carolina Panthers offense this Sunday against the Buffalo Bills, regardless of whether rookie Bryce Young is cleared to play. A team spokesperson confirmed the decision Friday, putting to rest any speculation surrounding Young’s status.
Young, the Panthers’ top pick in the 2023 draft, is officially listed as doubtful for the 1 p.m. game due to a high ankle sprain sustained late in the third quarter of last Sunday’s 13-6 victory over the New York Jets. Initial reports indicated Young would be sidelined, with the team hoping for a return for next week’s game against the Green Bay Packers.
Head Coach Dave Canales maintained a “day-to-day” approach regarding Young’s recovery throughout the week, even as the quarterback worked solely with trainers on the sidelines. Canales acknowledged Friday that putting Young on the field without any team snaps would be a “tough” proposition.
“Bryce and I talked early in the week and said, ‘Hey, let’s push this thing every day, let’s see where we’re at.’ … We’ve got to be smart. But it’s wise of us to take it day to day and see if we can get him back out there and continue to push our football forward,” Canales said.
This will mark Dalton’s first start for Carolina this season and his sixth in three seasons with the team. He holds a 1-5 record in his previous starts as a Panther.
“Every opportunity I get to be out there I’m going to enjoy every moment,” Dalton said Thursday. “Obviously, you hate that Bryce got hurt, but I get to be in there and get to be a part of it and impact the game, so every chance you get you look forward to it.”
The game holds added significance for Dalton, who is a beloved figure in Buffalo after leading the Cincinnati Bengals to a victory over the Baltimore Ravens in 2017, a result that clinched the Bills’ first playoff berth in 17 years. Bills fans subsequently donated over $415,000 to the Andy & Jordan Dalton Foundation and gave Dalton a standing ovation at a preseason game the following year. “It was pretty cool,” Dalton recalled.
The Panthers, currently riding a three-game winning streak and sitting at 4-3, will look to Dalton to lead them to another victory against a tough Bills team.
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