The Bengals will play their final game of the 2019 season against the Browns on Sunday afternoon and there’s no shortage of people who believe it will also be quarterback Andy Dalton‘s final game with the team.
Dalton is under contract for 2020, but the Bengals are expected to draft Joe Burrow first overall and the team will get Dalton’s entire $17.7 million cap hit back if they part ways with the veteran this offseason. At a Thursday press conference, Dalton was asked about his feelings about his potential finale with the team he’s played for since 2011.
Dalton said he didn’t come into the year thinking that this would be his last season with the team and isn’t spending a lot of time thinking about it now.
“Won’t be my focus at all,” Dalton said. “Just playing and trying to lead this team and play well. After the fact, we’ll see what happens.”
Dalton said the time in Cincinnati has meant a lot to him and his wife and said he felt good about all of the charitable work he’s done in the city over the years. He also noted that “it’s not the end of my career,” but it does feel like a curtain is dropping on a significant chapter of it.