The Dallas Cowboys saw star quarterback Dak Prescott go down with a hamstring injury last season that limited him to just eight games, and it was the third time in five seasons he missed extended time, which heightened the need for a high-upside backup quarterback this offseason.
Dallas filled that void by trading for Joe Milton of the New England Patriots, and while his new fanbase was initially enamored with his otherworldly arm talent, there has been a lot of criticism of late due to his lack of development and perceived inaccuracy when throwing anything other than a deep ball.
The Athletic’s Jon Machota shared a quote from Milton after practice recently, and he pushed back on the recent criticism and defended his ability as a QB.
“I don’t understand why people say I throw the ball so hard. I’m literally not throwing the ball hard. It just comes off my hand like that. I was born and blessed that way. If you think I’m throwing the ball hard, you shouldn’t be in the NFL,” Milton said.
Cowboys QB Joe Milton: “I don’t understand why people say I throw the ball so hard. I’m literally not throwing the ball hard. It just comes off my hand like that. I was born and blessed that way. If you think I’m throwing the ball hard, you shouldn’t be in the NFL.” pic.twitter.com/NckKVb7WCU
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) August 21, 2025
Fans and scouts have been blown away by Milton’s ability dating back to his days at Tennessee, but until he shows a consistent ability to work the intermediate routes and go through progressions, he’ll remain a high-upside guy instead of a can’t-miss starter.
He looked good in his one start with the Patriots last season, when he went 22-for-29 for 241 yards and a touchdown in his Week 18 victory over the Buffalo Bills.
However, he has shown some cause for concern in the preseason so far, completing just 55.3 percent of his passes and throwing a pair of interceptions.
It’s clear the talent is there, but he still has plenty to work on and will hopefully take his time behind Prescott to continue working to get to that next level.
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