logo
How backup QB Joe Milton is adjusting to Cowboys' new offense

How backup QB Joe Milton is adjusting to Cowboys' new offense

New York Times30-05-2025
FRISCO, Texas — Players rarely complain when they are traded to the Dallas Cowboys. So, it's not a surprise to learn that Joe Milton III was just fine with the early April trade that sent him from New England to Dallas.
Following Thursday's organized team activities at The Star, the second-year quarterback called the move a 'blessing' for the following reasons.
Milton was selected by the Patriots with the 193rd pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, a disappointing outcome for a player who had hoped to go as early as the second round. He didn't play in a regular-season game until Week 18, getting the majority of the work in an impressive showing. The last thing he was thinking at the time was that he'd be with a different team in 2025.
Advertisement
Milton said he was genuinely surprised to find out on April 3 that he was being traded along with a 2025 seventh-round pick in exchange for a 2025 fifth-round pick. New England drafted quarterback Drake Maye third overall in 2024. He's the future of the franchise. Apparently, the Patriots didn't think there would be enough opportunities for a second young arm on the roster.
'We felt like his reps were gonna be decreased as we worked through the offseason,' New England coach Mike Vrabel told reporters of the trade in April. 'And we felt just like every other decision, we're gonna try to do what's best for the team, and that's the decision that we ultimately made.'
Milton's exceptional game against Buffalo, which included completing 22 of 29 passes for 241 yards, one passing touchdown and one rushing touchdown, was enough to create serious interest from the Cowboys. They were looking to get younger behind Prescott. Rather than draft a prospect, they traded for one that had already impressed in an NFL game.
'I went in there and did what the play caller and head coach wanted me to do, and that's win the game,' Milton said. '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.'
Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer on Joe Milton: 'I was excited about Joe before we got him. When you go into these deals and you're talking about making trades, we all reach out to people that you know, people that you trust, people that have been exposed to said player at… pic.twitter.com/YAan9QsG0W
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) May 21, 2025
Milton struggled at times last week during the first OTA practice open to reporters, throwing two interceptions during 11-on-11 team drills. On Thursday, he was much more accurate, looking confident as he threw only one incomplete pass during his reps with the second-team offense. He connected downfield on multiple big plays, including one on a seam route to tight end Princeton Fant.
Advertisement
'I was excited about Joe before we got him,' Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said. 'When you go into these deals and you're talking about making trades, we all reach out to people that you know, people that you trust, people that have been exposed to said player at college, different programs, friends that have been around him. And you just dig and you ask and you get different opinions and there's always an outlier, good and bad, with each of them. You try to peel those away.
'But from the time he's been here, the work ethic is incredible. He's one of the first people in the building. He's one of the last to leave. The way he's attacked the playbook and picking it up has been incredible. And it's been fun for me to watch Dak and Will (Grier), but really Dak take a mentorship role with Joe. The talent speaks for itself. You guys will see it. He made some incredible throws (last week). He's just an exciting young prospect that I think the sky's the limit for.'
Milton has a unique way he learns a new offense. The traditional dry-erase board doesn't work for him. He prefers a piece of tape and poker chips. The tape is the line of scrimmage and the poker chips have letters written on them to symbolize the different skill position players. He prefers moving the chips over having to erase the board.
His girlfriend has the script. She calls out a play. Milton repeats it back. He then goes to his chips and lines them up in the formation. The plan is to do that every day during the month between the end of minicamp and the start of training camp.
'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.
'… I feel like we're taking the right step in the right direction every day. We're paying attention to small details.'
Milton envisions a great opportunity to learn from an experienced veteran like Prescott, who has started 122 NFL games. Schottenheimer believes Dallas has the ideal quarterback room for a 25-year-old Milton to grow as a player.
'It never stops,' Schottenheimer said. 'I've had young starters and veteran backups. I've had veteran starters and young backups. The quarterback position is a position that gets so much scrutiny that you're always trying to place an emphasis on: Are they getting better? Are they getting consistent? Are they doing the things they need to do? You try to piece that room together.
Advertisement
'It is something you talk about, the mixing and matching and how it looks. I've heard other stories where some rooms didn't get along great and that's never a good thing. But we don't have that here. We have a great room. With Dak, Joe and Will, it's been awesome.'
(Photo of Joe Milton: Fred Kfoury III / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

How The J. M. Smucker Company (SJM) Fits into the Food Dividend Stock Portfolio
How The J. M. Smucker Company (SJM) Fits into the Food Dividend Stock Portfolio

Yahoo

time13 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

How The J. M. Smucker Company (SJM) Fits into the Food Dividend Stock Portfolio

The J. M. Smucker Company (NYSE:SJM) is included among the 10 Best Food Stocks with Dividends. A wholesaler distributing peanut butter, fruit spreads and specialty spreads to a retailer. The J. M. Smucker Company (NYSE:SJM) is recognized as a strong value in the food sector, with several successful brands under its belt. Notable performers include pet food lines like Meow Mix and Milk-Bone, as well as the well-liked Uncrustables sandwich products. The company paid a premium when it acquired Hostess Brands in November 2023. To refocus its efforts, the company recently sold off some brands from its Sweet Baked Snack segment, including Voortman, to concentrate more on the Hostess portfolio. Although the transition has been challenging, The J. M. Smucker Company (NYSE:SJM) appears to be moving in the right direction. It anticipates full-year fiscal 2026 sales to grow by 2% to 4%, despite the effects of divesting certain Sweet Baked Snack value brands. The company is also expected to deliver strong earnings and free cash flow. In fiscal Q4 2025, The J. M. Smucker Company (NYSE:SJM) reported operating cash flow of $393.9 million, and its free cash flow was $298.9 million. During the quarter, the company returned $114.5 million to shareholders through dividends, reinforcing its commitment to investor return. This cash position enables the company to consistently raise its dividends. The J. M. Smucker Company (NYSE:SJM) declared a 1.9% hike in its quarterly dividend on July 16. This marked the company's 24th consecutive year of dividend growth, which makes it one of the best food stocks with dividends. The company now offers a quarterly dividend of $1.10 per share and has a dividend yield of 4.04%, as of July 27. While we acknowledge the potential of SJM as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: READ NEXT: and Disclosure: None.

NJ Lottery Pick-3, Pick-4, Cash 5, Cash4Life winning numbers for Sunday, July 27
NJ Lottery Pick-3, Pick-4, Cash 5, Cash4Life winning numbers for Sunday, July 27

Yahoo

time13 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

NJ Lottery Pick-3, Pick-4, Cash 5, Cash4Life winning numbers for Sunday, July 27

The New Jersey Lottery offers multiple draw games for people looking to strike it rich. Here's a look at July 27, 2025, results for each game: Pick-3 Midday: 1-5-1, Fireball: 1 Evening: 7-7-4, Fireball: 0 Check Pick-3 payouts and previous drawings here. Pick-4 Midday: 3-3-7-4, Fireball: 1 Evening: 0-1-1-6, Fireball: 0 Check Pick-4 payouts and previous drawings here. Jersey Cash 5 06-08-27-28-44, Xtra: 05 Check Jersey Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here. Cash4Life 01-04-08-29-45, Cash Ball: 03 Check Cash4Life payouts and previous drawings here. Beware: No, a lottery jackpot winner isn't giving you money. How to spot a scammer Quick Draw Drawings are held every four minutes. Check winning numbers here. Cash Pop Drawings are held every four minutes. Check winning numbers here. Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results When are the New Jersey Lottery drawings held? Cash4Life: 9:00 p.m. daily. Pick-3: 12:59 p.m. and 10:57 p.m. daily. Pick-4: 12:59 p.m. and 10:57 p.m. daily. Jersey Cash 5: 10:57 p.m. daily. Pick-6: 10:57 p.m. Monday and Thursday. Winning lottery numbers are sponsored by Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Where can you buy lottery tickets? Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets. You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington D.C., and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer. Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER, Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 18+ (19+ in NE, 21+ in AZ). Physically present where Jackpocket operates. Jackpocket is not affiliated with any State Lottery. Eligibility Restrictions apply. Void where prohibited. Terms: This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a New Jersey Sr Breaking News Editor. You can send feedback using this form. This article originally appeared on NJ Lottery Pick-3, Pick-4, Cash 5, Cash4Life winning numbers for Sunday, July 27 Solve the daily Crossword

Maine Lottery results: See winning numbers for Pick 3, Pick 4 on July 27, 2025
Maine Lottery results: See winning numbers for Pick 3, Pick 4 on July 27, 2025

Yahoo

time13 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Maine Lottery results: See winning numbers for Pick 3, Pick 4 on July 27, 2025

The Maine Lottery offers several games for those aiming to win big. You can pick from national lottery games, like the Powerball and Mega Millions, or a variety of local and regional games, like the Pick 3, Pick 4 and Gimme 5. While your odds of winning a big jackpot in the Powerball or Mega Millions are generally pretty slim (here's how they compare to being struck by lightning or dealt a royal flush), other games offer better odds to win cash, albeit with lower prize amounts. Here's a look at Sunday, July 27, 2025 results for each game: Winning Pick 3 numbers from July 27 drawing Day: 9-4-2 Evening: 8-5-2 Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here. Winning Pick 4 numbers from July 27 drawing Day: 4-5-5-8 Evening: 8-6-5-2 Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here. Winning Lucky For Life numbers from July 27 drawing 04-06-09-25-47, Lucky Ball: 04 Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here. Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results When are the Maine Lottery drawings held? Powerball: 10:59 p.m. ET Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. Mega Millions: 11 p.m. ET on Tuesday and Friday. Pick 3, 4: 1:10 p.m. (Day) and 6:50 p.m. (Evening) ET daily. Lucky For Life: 10:38 p.m. ET daily. Lotto America: 10:15 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. Gimme 5: 6:59 p.m. ET on Monday through Friday. Cash Pop: 8:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m. & 11:30 p.m. ET daily. Winning lottery numbers are sponsored by Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Where can you buy lottery tickets? Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets. You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington D.C., and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer. Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER, Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 18+ (19+ in NE, 21+ in AZ). Physically present where Jackpocket operates. Jackpocket is not affiliated with any State Lottery. Eligibility Restrictions apply. Void where prohibited. Terms: This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a USA Today editor. You can send feedback using this form. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Maine Lottery results, winning numbers: Pick 3, Pick 4, more

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store