Joe Milton recalls 'surprised' reaction to Cowboys trade: 'I didn't know it was going to be here'

After spending his rookie season in New England, Joe Milton will now head to Dallas. The Patriots traded him to the Cowboys, where he’ll now get to learn from Dak Prescott.

Speaking with reporters this week, Milton recalled being “surprised” by the call when it came through. That said, he’s keeping things in perspective as he settles in with his new franchise.

The Patriots selected Milton in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft out of Tennessee and he sat behind Drake Maye on the depth chart. However, the franchise sent him to the Cowboys in April, and he had a feeling a move would happen once he got an early phone call.

“Was I surprised? Yes,” Milton said, via DallasCowboys.com’s Patrik Walker. “I kind of woke up around, like, 7 o’clock, to a call and I knew I was getting traded.”

Milton played in just one game for New England, throwing for 241 yards and a touchdown in a Week 18 win over the Buffalo Bills. He joined the Patriots after three years at Tennessee, where he took the starting job back following Hendon Hooker’s departure and helped lead the Vols to the Orange Bowl.

As he gets ready for Year 2 in the NFL, Milton will now get ready to learn behind Prescott, who just signed a lucrative contract extension and is still recovering from a hamstring injury. Add in the fact that he gets to play for a team with the profile of the Cowboys, and he’s ready to get started.

“The only thing I could have done, well, the only thing I did at that moment was to thank God,” Milton said. “Coming here was a blessing. I didn’t know it was going to be here. … 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. Also, it’s just great to learn from someone like Dak.”

Joe Milton began his college career at Michigan before transferring to Tennessee in 2021. He intended to be the Vols’ starting quarterback, but Hendon Hooker took the reins and eventually turned in a breakout season under Josh Heupel in 2022. In 2023, after reassuming the starting job, Milton threw for 2,813 yards and 20 touchdowns, showcasing his arm strength along the way.