For Joe Milton III, his stint with the New England Patriots was a frustrating one. During his rookie season in 2024, he was buried deep in the QB depth chart with Drake Maye starting for the team. Despite being part of the same draft class, Milton saw limited playtime, which ultimately led to his exit from the franchise. Now, two years down the line, he has finally broken his silence on feeling disrespected under head coach Jerod Mayo.

“How I play the game is how I practice. Like, my shoelace is not tied. I’m running over y’all defense, I’m throwing the ball over your head,” Milton explained while speaking to WEEI on Tuesday. “It got to the point where I threw a deep ball to be left over (Christian Gonzalez) and while the ball was in the air, I was turning around looking at (then-head coach Jerod) Mayo, Eliot (Wolf) was right there and they couldn’t do nothing but just look, and the ball got completed and he scored, scout team receiver scored. And they just shook their head,” he added.

Milton made it to the NFL after spending six years in college, with the first three seasons (2018-2020) at Michigan and the remaining three with the Tennessee Volunteers. The New England Patriots then selected him in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, with Mayo taking over as head coach. As he entered the locker room, it was already stacked with veteran star Jacoby Brissett signing a one-year deal. Since Maye was picked third overall, Milton found himself dragged to the bottom of the list.

As the season unfolded, Brissett was named the starter. The situation became more frustrating when Milton began receiving fewer practice reps. After Brissett struggled to a 1-4 start, Maye was named the starting QB. Even then Milton was kept waiting at No. 3 with no hopes of getting elevated as a backup.

When asked if it would have been different if Jerod Mayo had talked about it, Milton gave a blunt reply.

“I think it would have been different if, when Jacoby was a starter, Drake was the backup. I was the emergency quarterback,” he added. “When you move Drake up to start, what should Jacoby now do? 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 he’s still the two. I just felt disrespected.”

After 17 turbulent weeks, Milton finally got his opportunity in the season finale against the Buffalo Bills. He made the most of it, completing 22 of 29 passes for 241 yards and a touchdown in a 23-16 win. However, things didn’t pan out as expected.

The Patriots chose to build their offense around Maye as the franchise quarterback. That decision for New England, though, has since paid off.

For Milton, however, the frustration lingered. He felt overlooked by Mayo and Eliot Wolf despite his practices mirroring his playing style until Dallas came calling. In the end, the message was clear. Milton wasn’t part of the long-term plan, and he moved on, signing with the Dallas Cowboys ahead of the 2025 season.

Joe Milton III found the opportunity he wanted in Dallas

Under Brian Schottenheimer, the 25-year-old quarterback got a fresh start. He was traded by the Patriots to the Cowboys in exchange for a fifth-round pick. It was a move that initially caught Milton off guard but ultimately turned into a blessing.

“Was I surprised? Yes. I kind of woke up around, like, 7 o’clock, to a call, and I knew I was getting traded,” Milton said last year. “Coming here was a blessing. I didn’t know where I was going to end up. I was just thankful to go to work. [But now I’m] back in the heat, for one. He allowed me to play in the dome, for two. And, three, it’s America’s team. It’s just great to learn from someone like Dak [Prescott].”

During his time in New England, Milton never wanted to remain buried on the depth chart. However, Milton ultimately found the opportunity he was looking for in Dallas.

The Cowboys named him Dak Prescott’s backup for the 2025 season. Although he didn’t make a start, Milton still saw meaningful action. With a completion percentage of 62.5, he appeared in four games, throwing for 183 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions.

Those numbers weren’t eye-catching, but they showed he deserves more opportunity. As for what 2026 holds, that answer will come into focus in the months ahead with a contract running through the 2027 season.