When the New England Patriots brought in Mike Vrabel as head coach last offseason, the expectation was that a new era was beginning in Foxborough. But one of the more unexpected moves that followed was the trade of rookie quarterback Joe Milton III to the Dallas Cowboys. Along with a 2025 seventh-round pick, Milton was sent to Dallas in exchange for a 2025 fifth-rounder - not exactly blockbuster terms, but it was a move that raised some eyebrows given Milton’s raw talent and upside.
Milton, a sixth-round pick in the 2024 draft, spent most of his rookie year tucked away on the Patriots’ depth chart, sitting behind veteran Jacoby Brissett and first-rounder Drake Maye. But during a recent interview on WEEI, the former Tennessee standout opened up about his short stint in New England - and he didn’t hold back.
Milton Felt Overlooked in New England
“When you move Drake up to start, what should Jacoby now do?” Milton said, recalling the moment Maye was elevated to QB1 in Week 6.
“You keep him at the two because he’s a vet, but he’s not taking reps. It’s just me and Drake, the only ones practicing, but [Brissett was] still the two.
I just felt disrespected.”
It’s a revealing quote - not just about Milton’s mindset, but about the inner workings of the Patriots’ quarterback room during a transitional season. While Brissett held the No. 2 spot on the depth chart in name, it was Milton getting the reps in practice alongside Maye. And yet, he remained buried on the chart, with little opportunity to show what he could do in game action.
That changed in Week 18, when Milton finally got his shot. With the Patriots resting starters ahead of the playoffs, he stepped in and delivered a strong performance: 22-of-29 passing for 241 yards and a touchdown, plus a rushing score.
It was the kind of outing that might have sparked a quarterback controversy under different circumstances. But in New England, Maye had already firmly secured the keys to the offense - and for good reason.
A Practice Warrior With a Point to Prove
Milton’s frustration didn’t just stem from lack of playing time - it was about what he believed he was doing behind the scenes. According to him, the practice field told a different story than the depth chart.
“How I play in the game is how I practice,” Milton said. “I’m running over y’all defense. I’m throwing the ball over your head.”
He shared a vivid moment from practice that stuck with him: a deep ball launched over cornerback Christian Gonzalez, completed for a touchdown. As the ball sailed through the air, Milton turned away - not to celebrate, but to look directly at then-head coach Jerod Mayo and personnel chief Eliot Wolf.
“They couldn’t do nothing but just look at the ball,” he recalled. “The ball got completed.
He scored. And they just shook their heads.”
That moment, in Milton’s eyes, was emblematic of his time in New England - flashes of promise, but no real path forward. Feeling like he wasn’t developing the way he wanted, he asked his agency to seek out a new opportunity. The Patriots obliged, sending him to Dallas.
Two Quarterbacks, Two Very Different Paths
The Patriots, for their part, haven’t looked back. Drake Maye is now a finalist for the 2025 NFL MVP and will lead New England into Super Bowl LX this Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks.
It’s hard to argue with the results. Maye has delivered on his first-round pedigree and then some, giving the franchise its most promising quarterback since Tom Brady.
Milton, meanwhile, finds himself in a very different situation. In Dallas, he’s behind Dak Prescott, and there’s no sign that’s changing any time soon.
But for a player with his arm talent and athleticism, the story is far from over. He’s made it clear he believes in himself - and that he has more to show.
For now, Milton’s journey continues in the shadows of two of the league’s more stable quarterback situations. But if his words - and that Week 18 performance - are any indication, he’s not done trying to prove he belongs.