AP

Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton has officially been ruled out for Saturday night’s wildcard game vs. the Steelers.

Dalton being ruled out is notable but not a surprise. He’s been out since suffering a fractured thumb against the Steelers Dec. 13. The Bengals have offered no timetable on a potential return.

Though Dalton got the cast removed from his thumb earlier this week, he remained a spectator at practice. Bengals Coach Marvin Lewis had left open the possibility of Dalton dressing as a backup for the game, but Friday’s ruling means Keith Wenning will be the backup to A.J. McCarron, who started the final three games of the regular season.

The Bengals hope they advance to next week and get to gauge Dalton’s progress. If the Bengals win Saturday they’ll play at New England on Jan. 16.