The Dallas Cowboys have added another quarterback into the mix.
Here’s everything to know about new Cowboys signal-caller Joe Milton, acquired in a trade with the New England Patriots on Thursday.
1. The basics
Name: Joseph Jay Milton
Born: March 6, 2000 (age 25)
Birthplace: Pahokee, Fla.
Position: Quarterback
College: Michigan (2018-20), Tennessee (2021-23)
Drafted: 6th round of the 2024 NFL draft (193rd overall)
2. The trade
On April 3, 2025, the Cowboys acquired Milton from the New England Patriots in exchange for a 2025 fifth-round NFL draft pick. The Cowboys also got a seventh-round pick from New England.
3. Big fella
The easiest comparison to make with Milton, from a purely aesthetic standpoint, is Cam Newton. The simple reason being it’s rare to see such a large human back there running the offense.
Newton played at 6-5 and about 245 pounds in his day. Milton stands at 6-5 and 246 pounds, according to his NFL profile.
The phrase “physical specimen” has been used in a Joe Milton scouting report or two.
4. Draft profile
Speaking of the scouting reports, here’s what NFL analyst Lance Zierlein wrote about Milton before the 2024 draft:
“Milton is gifted with a cannon for a right arm and can throw the ball as hard or as far as you want. His fastballs are often inaccurate and difficult to catch for moving targets, and he was wildly inconsistent locating his deep throws. He can elude pressure, extend plays and put jaw-dropping highlights on tape, but he’s never been able to mature his game from splashy to consistent. He’s primarily a single-side reader who struggles to improvise with his eyes. The physical ingredients could get him drafted on Day 3, but his lack of development over six seasons discourages his projection.”
5. ‘Cannon for a right arm’
That’s no lie.
There are several social media videos from Milton’s time in college and the pros of him showing off his prodigious throwing power in unique ways — throwing an orange over 110 yards and pinging it against a boundary fence at the Tennessee practice field, for instance.
How far can Joe throw an orange 🍊 ❓@OrangeBowl @Qbjayy7 #GBO 🍊 pic.twitter.com/lEP9aUTEJm
— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) December 22, 2022
Or casually flicking a ball 60 yards from one knee....
Joe Milton casual 60-yard throw on one knee pic.twitter.com/BwK3IIrIQA
— Barstool Gambling (@stoolgambling) January 15, 2023
Or otherwise just showing off his elite athleticism...
Joe Milton III with the dot and the flip 👀 @Qbjayy7
— NFL (@NFL) March 27, 2024
(via @Vol_Football)pic.twitter.com/AsootJGlLB
5. Not just distance
Milton doesn’t just throw it far — he throws it hard, too. Milton’s capable of firing in short passes to wide receivers in tight windows.
Check out the ‘oomph’ he puts on this one after avoiding half the defense:
JOE MILTON WITH ONE OF THE BEST PLAYS OF THE SEASON.
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) January 5, 2025
EVADE. ESCAPES FROM MULTIPLE DEFENDERS… FIRE A DIME.
🤯🤯🤯
pic.twitter.com/TPyjDo1QBJ
7. Time in college
Milton spent six seasons playing college football due to a redshirt season and the COVID-19 shutdown season.
He spent two seasons at Michigan where he served as a backup.
He transferred to Tennessee in 2021 where he split starting duties with Hendon Hooker for two seasons before taking over as the primary starter in 2023. He led the Volunteers to an 8-4 season and a 35-0 win over Iowa in the Citrus Bowl.
Milton threw for 2,813 in his final season at Tennessee, completing 64.7% of passes and throwing 20 touchdowns and five interceptions. He ran for 299 yards and another seven scores.
8. Joe the Patriot
The Patriots drafted Joe Milton with the pick they acquired from trading previous New England QB Mac Jones. He sat most of the 2024-25 season behind Jacoby Brissett and fellow rookie Drake Maye.
9. A win... but at what cost?
Milton made his NFL debut on Jan. 5 in what was the final game of the Patriots’ season. To that point, New England had a record of 3-13.
Milton played well and scored two touchdowns to nab his first professional win, improve his team’s record to 4-14 and end the season on a high note ... kinda.
The victory was scene as a downside among a big chunk of Patriots fans, as the virtually meaningless win over a Bills team that wasn’t playing its starters knocked New England out of contention for the first overall draft pick. The Pats fired first-year head coach Jerod Mayo shortly after.
10. Super Bowl cousin
Milton is cousins with former NFL wide receiver Anquan Boldin, who played 13 seasons in the league and won the Super Bowl with the 2013 Baltimore Ravens.
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