Joe Milton III Reveals Brutal Truth About Time With Patriots

Former Patriots quarterback Joe Milton III didn’t seem to have the best time playing in New England.

Milton appeared on WEEI, expressing his frustration over being disrespected by the Patriots after they benched starting quarterback Jacoby Brissett for Drake Maye in 2024 and did not promote him to No. 2 quarterback.

“When Jacoby was the starter, Drake was the backup,” Milton said on Tuesday. “I was the emergency quarterback. When you move Drake up to start, what should Jacoby do now? He got his job taken. I should move up, but you don’t; you keep him at No. 2 because he’s a veteran.”

The Patriots selected Milton in the seventh round of the 2024 NFL Draft, but he faced a rocky road to getting onto the field. New England selected Maye with the third overall pick that year, and he was set to become the Patriots’ franchise quarterback.

The 25-year-old quarterback made an appearance in New England’s Week 18 matchup against the Buffalo Bills in 2024, completing 241 passing yards and tossing one touchdown.

Milton played under head coach Jerod Mayo, but both had only one season in New England. The Patriots let Mayo go following a disappointing 4-13 season, and New England traded Milton along with a 2025 seventh-round pick in exchange for a 2025 fifth-round pick last offseason.