Panthers' Andy Dalton Played Through Broken Thumb vs. Bills, Says Injury Not 'Excuse'

Carolina Panthers quarterback Andy Dalton revealed Thursday that he played through a broken thumb during last Sunday's 40-9 Week 8 loss to the visiting Buffalo Bills.

Dalton told reporters the injury occurred with just under six minutes left in the first quarter, when he hit his hand while attempting an incomplete pass to Brycen Tremayne during the Panthers' second drive of the game.

When asked if he felt the injury had impacted his play, Dalton answered, "I'm not going to use that as an excuse for anything."

Dalton continued, "I didn't know what had happened. I knew that I had it hit, and then I still felt like I could function normally, and so I didn't think that it was even worth really anything to talk about."

Running back Chuba Hubbard scored the Panthers' lone touchdown of Week 8 as Dalton was held to 16-of-24 passing for 175 yards and an interception in the loss.

When asked Wednesday if Dalton's injury had impacted his play, Panthers head coach Dave Canales had answered, "Could be. I would imagine. It's on his throwing-side thumb, on his right hand."

Dalton said he didn't believe the coaching staff knew about the injury during the loss, but that his thumb had "continued to swell up" as the contest went on.

When asked if the Panthers staff had known about the injury during the game, however, offensive coordinator Brad Idzik answered: "Our medical staff does a great job of communicating all that stuff as things come up, as they did on this past Sunday for us."

"As long as he's cleared, and he says he's good to go, we have great communication... He was ready to go, and we were ripping," Idzik said. "And the biggest thing is, when players are cleared to go out there, we're not going to hesitate to make sure that they're able to accomplish the things that we're asking them to do."

The Panthers quarterback suffered a sprain on the same thumb during a multicar accident in October 2024. When asked Wednesday if this issue was a re-aggravation of that previous injury, Canales answered, "That's not what I was explained."

Dalton did not practice Wednesday, although he returned to Thursday's session as a limited participant.

"It's not ideal, but you know, I can still work," Dalton said Thursday after practice. "I can still throw the ball."

Dalton also said he is not wearing a brace on his thumb, and that there is "some pain" involved in playing through the injury.

"I'm not going to make any excuses, like I said earlier," Dalton said. "But, if it wasn't broken, obviously there would be a different feel there."

Bryce Young, who sat out Week 8 with a high ankle sprain, was meanwhile listed as a full participant in both Wednesday's and Thursday's practices.

Canales said Wednesday the decision as to whether Young would be cleared to start in Sunday's Week 9 matchup at the Green Bay Packers would be made "in the next couple of days."