Joe Milton gives 4 reasons why trade to Cowboys was a ‘blessing,’ shades Patriots’ offense
"My last offense was more everybody get tagged on which routes. This offense here is more fast and for sure explosive."
Joe Milton’s name was in trade rumors before the Patriots moved him to the Cowboys in an exchange of draft picks in April, but he was still caught off guard by the move.
The former Patriots quarterback said that he didn’t know a trade was imminent until the deal went down when he spoke with reporters for the first time since the move. However, Milton now feels thankful to be in Dallas.
“Was I surprised? Yes,” Milton. “I kind of woke up around, like, 7 o’clock, to a call and I knew I was getting traded. “The only thing I could have done, well, the only thing I did at that moment was to thank God. Coming here was a blessing. I didn’t know it was going to be here. My agent said it was most of the teams that called, so I didn’t know where I was going to end up.
“I was just thankful to go somewhere.”
As for why Milton feels grateful to be a part of the Cowboys, the Florida native shared that the weather advantages quarterbacks get playing in Dallas over New England as a pair of reasons.
“Back in the heat, for one,” Milton said as he began to list off reasons why he felt “blessed” to be traded to the Cowboys. “They allowed me to play in a dome, for two.”
Milton’s list of reasons for why he felt thankful for the trade didn’t end there.
“For three, it’s America’s team,” Milton said, referring to the Cowboys’ longstanding nickname. “Also, it’s just great to learn from somebody like Dak.”
While he didn’t list it as a reason for why he thinks the trade is a blessing, Milton also likes the Cowboys’ offensive system under first-year coach Brian Schottenheimer. He especially likes it in comparison to the offense he played under with offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt last season.
“It’s way different,” Milton said of the Cowboys’ offensive language. “This offense here brings me back more to my college days. My last offense was more everybody get tagged on which routes. This offense here is more fast and for sure explosive.”
Milton didn’t see much playing time as a rookie in 2024, often serving as the third-string quarterback behind fellow rookie Drake Maye and veteran Jacoby Brissett. New England’s offense was mostly put up poor results throughout the year, finishing second-to-last in total offense and 30th in scoring.
Milton had a strong showing, though, in the Patriots’ Week 18 win over the Bills. The 25-year-old showcased his dual-threat ability in that game, throwing for 241 yards and a touchdown to go with a rushing score.
“I went in there and did what the play-caller and head coach wanted me to do, and that’s win the game,” Milton told reporters of that game. “I didn’t know what was going to happen. It was the last game of the season. I was just going off happy. I went out with a win in my first game ever in the NFL. That’s pretty much all I was thinking about, until two months later and boom, I’m here.
“After the Buffalo game, I was like, it’s fun. I feel like I can keep doing this. I feel like there is more that I need to let out. I was just having fun. It’s probably one of the best days of my life.”
As Milton listed reasons why he was thankful to be traded to Dallas, New England turned down a better offer for Milton, choosing to send the quarterback to a place he wanted to go out of respect, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz. It’s unknown what the other offer was, with the Patriots receiving a 2025 fifth-round pick while also giving up a 2025 seventh-round pick in the deal.
The Raiders, Eagles, Giants, and Steelers were reportedly among the teams also interested in Milton.
Despite showing promise against the Bills, it became evident that Milton’s days in New England were likely numbered when the team signed veteran Joshua Dobbs at the onset of free agency. Now, Milton will get the chance to compete to be Prescott’s primary backup as the veteran returns from a hamstring injury that sidelined him for the second half of the 2024 season.
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