Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton does not need surgery on his fractured thumb, which could be good news for his recovery timetable.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports that how long Dalton is out will depend on how quickly his thumb heals on its own. There is still a chance he could return for the playoffs.
#Bengals QB Andy Dalton won't have surgery on his injured thumb, source said. The hope is he's back for the playoffs. Depends how he heals.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 14, 2015
That’s better news than what we heard immediately after Sunday’s game, but it still does not sound like a guarantee that Dalton will play again this season.
Dalton injured the thumb making a tackle after an interception, as you can see here. With the injury being to his throwing hand, he will likely need to be 100 percent healed before he can grip and throw a football.
