Bears HC Matt Nagy: Andy Dalton Is Our Starter When Healthy

Bears HC Matt Nagy told reporters that QB Andy Dalton will not lose his starting job due to injury. 

Nagy sent a message through a team spokesperson saying Dalton is the team’s starting quarterback when healthy, per Brad Biggs. 

That followed an exchange during Nagy’s press conference in which the coach did not make the same commitment. 

Reporter: If Andy is healthy, is he your starter?

Nagy: “That’s something that I’m not going to get into with scheme.”

Reporter: That’s not scheme.

Nagy: “Of course it is, that’s 100 percent scheme.”

Dalton left Sunday’s win against the Bengals with a knee injury. While he appeared to avoid a major ligament tear, it’s still unclear how much time, if any, he’ll miss. 

Bears first-round QB Justin Fields replaced Dalton in Week 2 and would start as long as the veteran is out. Naturally there was speculation that Dalton might not get the job back, as something similar happened last year with the Chargers, Tyrod Taylor and Justin Herbert. 

Dalton, 33, is a former second-round pick of the Bengals back in 2011. He was entering the final year of his seven-year, $97.09 million contract, which included $17 million guaranteed when Cincinnati cut him loose. 

Dalton stood to make a base salary of $17.5 million in 2020 when the Bengals opted to release him. He later signed a one-year deal with the Cowboys after the draft. 

The Bears later signed Dalton to a contract this offseason. 

In 2021, Dalton has appeared in two games for the Bears and completed 36-49 passes (73.5 percent) for 262 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He’s also rushed four times for 38 yards. 

We will have more news on Dalton as it becomes available.