"He looks better now than his rookie year": NFL fans react to Andy Dalton's 2025 headshots as QB heads into 15th career year 

The Cincinnati Bengals drafted Andy Dalton in the second round of the 2011 NFL draft. Since then, the quarterback has gone on to play for the Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears, New Orleans Saints and currently with the Carolina Panthers.

On Wednesday, the NFL shared a post dedicated to Dalton's time in the league. It contained a side-by-side comparison of his face from when he made his debut to his 14th year in the league.

"The evolution of @andydalton14," the caption on the post read.

Fans soon shared their reactions on X/Twitter to the three-time Pro Bowler's face evolution over the past 14 seasons:

"He looks better now than his rookie year lmfaoo," one fan commented.

"Freshman year vs senior year," another fan wrote.

"Talk about growing up in the NFL," a fan said.

"From Pistol Pete to Red Rifle," another fan joked.

"One of the better backups in the league," one fan added.

"Looks-wise, getting better with age," a fan commented.

Andy Dalton agreed to a two-year deal worth around $10 million with the Panthers in March 2023. In two seasons, he saw playing time in nine games, recording 1,350 yards and nine passing TDs. In February, Dave Canales and his team decided to offer the veteran quarterback another two-year extension, keeping him with the team through 2026.

In 14 seasons, Dalton has started 168 of the 175 games he played. He has tallied a total of 39,500 yards and 253 passing TDs with 150 interceptions to his name.

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Panthers QB1 Bryce Young opens up about relationship with Andy Dalton

The Panthers picked up Bryce Young with the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL draft. He was immediately named as the team's starter and is now gearing up for his third stint as QB1.

According to the team's official website, Young is grateful for Dalton's presence on the depth chart. He also heaped praise on him as a veteran quarterback who's spent over a decade playing in the league.

"Me and Andy are super close," Young said. "From when I first got here, just being able to talk to him through things, him having perspective on a situation that I had never been a part of, I was always leaning on him, always having conversations and just from day to day basis.

"You can't add up the hours we spend here, we're here every single day, and just being able to have someone that you can bounce off of, ask how you see things... He's always there, trying to help me out... So I'm super grateful for that," he added.

The Panthers kick off their 2025 campaign with a showdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars in September. Last season, they finished third in the NFC South with a 5-12 record and failed to qualify for the playoffs.