Los Angeles (AFP) – Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton was ruled out for the remainder of the season on Monday after suffering a thumb injury during his team’s defeat to the Cleveland Browns.
Dalton, 31, was placed on injured reserve for the rest of the campaign after damaging his right thumb in the third quarter of Sunday’s 35-20 loss to the Browns, the team confirmed.
Dalton is likely to be replaced by Jeff Driskel in the starting line-up for next Sunday’s game against the Denver Broncos.
The Bengals are in third place in the AFC North following Sunday’s loss, and need to produce a winning run to have any realistic chance of forcing their way into the playoffs.
Dalton’s injury comes as a massive blow for the Bengals. It is the first time he has been placed on injured reserve although he missed three games in the 2015 campaign after breaking the same thumb while making a tackle.
The Bengals on Monday signed Tom Savage from the San Francisco 49ers as cover at quarterback after Dalton’s injury was confirmed.