Andy Dalton Ruled Out For Bengals’ AFC Wild Card Game Vs. Steelers

Andy Dalton’s injury will prevent him from playing this weekend.

The Cincinnati Bengals have ruled out Dalton for Saturday night’s AFC Wild Card Game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Paul Brown Stadium. AJ McCarron again will start in place of Dalton, who missed the final three games of the regular season due to a broken right thumb.

Dalton’s absence against the Steelers isn’t surprising. The Bengals have been preparing this week as if McCarron again would be under center. Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis took a wait-and-see approach with his starting quarterback earlier this week, though, so Friday’s announcement is notable.

Dalton, 28, was having a career season before going down Dec. 13 in Cincinnati’s Week 14 loss to Pittsburgh. The fifth-year quarterback threw for 3,250 yards and 25 touchdowns to seven interceptions.

McCarron guided the Bengals to a 2-1 record in his three starts. The 25-year-old threw for 832 yards and six touchdowns to two interceptions over Cincinnati’s final four games in Dalton’s absence.