It has been a season of firsts for Cowboys quarterback Andy Dalton. For the primary time in his profession, Dalton, who spent his first 9 seasons with the Bengals, began the season as a backup. After changing an injured Dak Prescott within the Cowboys’ beginning lineup, Dalton was pressured to overlook a recreation due to a concussion for the primary time in his profession. He then needed to miss one other recreation after he, his spouse, and one in every of his three kids examined optimistic for COVID-19. Dalton mentioned this week that he and his household are actually wholesome and “again to regular.” 

Whereas he didn’t examine his expertise with COVID-19 to the ache he endured after being concussed by Washington linebacker Jon Bostic, Dalton, who mentioned that he’s nonetheless making an attempt to regain his style and odor, acknowledged that coping with the virus was no picnic. 

“The COVID, it hit me arduous the primary day I had it, then it regularly began feeling higher,” Dalton mentioned, through ESPN’s Todd Archer. “By the tip of it, I used to be able to get out of quarantine and get again up right here.”

Dalton stayed in form throughout his quarantine by figuring out in his dwelling health club. He’s slated to make his first begin since sustaining his concussion when the 2-7 Cowboys face the 4-5 Vikings on Sunday. Talking of his concussion, Dalton mentioned that he was dissatisfied with the league’s resolution to not droop Bostic, who was fined $12,000. Dalton mentioned he’s not feeling the results of the concussion. He was not thrilled with the prospect of watching his teammates play with out him. 

“It was a bit irritating,” Dalton mentioned. “You miss the one recreation due to the concussion, first time coping with that, after which the COVID. It is like, all of it type of hit without delay. I want I may have been on the market. I want I may have performed within the two video games that I missed.”

Dalton watched because the Cowboys began their third- and fourth-string quarterbacks in consecutive weeks. After rookie Ben DiNucci struggled in Dallas’ Week 8 loss in Philadelphia, veteran Garrett Gilbert put up a stable effort in opposition to the visiting Steelers in Week 9, throwing for 243 yards with a landing and an interception within the Cowboys’ 24-19 loss. 

Whereas the 2020 season has clearly not been what Dalton and his teammates envisioned, the Cowboys are just one.5 video games out of first place within the NFC East. That’s what Dalton is selecting to concentrate on as he prepares to make his third begin for his new staff. 

“All the things is out in entrance of us,” Dalton mentioned. “That is the loopy factor with how this season has gone. Some video games we really feel like we’ve had possibilities in. All of that stuff would not matter at this level. Now we’ve to maneuver ahead. We’ve to consider these subsequent seven video games, and that’s all our focus is — what we’ve in entrance of us.”