FOXBORO, Mass. — Patriots fans showed up to Thursday night’s preseason opener eager to see Drake Maye.
They left talking about Joe Milton III — and Jerod Mayo was right there with them.
New England’s head coach gave Milton a shout-out after the rookie quarterback showed out in his team’s 17-3 win over the Carolina Panthers.
On a night that saw both Drake Maye and Jacoby Brissett play just one series each and Bailey Zappe see the most snaps, it was Milton, a sixth-rounder, who generated the most buzz.
Joe Milton Stars in Patriots’ Preseason Opener
Milton is built for the preseason. He’s athletic, has the strongest arm in the league, and plays with a ton of swagger. Nobody will be surprised if he produces the sequel to “Malik Cunningham Mania.”
And he’s well on his way to doing just that. Milton’s stats don’t jump off the page — 4-of-6, 54 yards, one TD, 22 rushing yards — but he made the kind of wow plays that make fans dream big during the preseason.
Check out Milton’s two biggest plays: a 12-yard scramble that lasted 15 seconds, and a 38-yard touchdown dart to JaQuae Jackson:
.@Qbjayy7 running alllll over the field 🏃💨
📺: @wbzsports pic.twitter.com/Q3ZqVuIuTb
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) August 9, 2024
JOE TO JAQUAE DIMEEEE!!@Qbjayy7 | @quaerid_9
📺: @wbzsports pic.twitter.com/OvSO4Mdo76
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) August 9, 2024
We caught up with Milton post-game and asked him where his mind goes when a play breaks down, as it did on his electrifying scramble.
“Playing by instincts,” Milton told Pro Football Network. “Also, keep your head on a swivel, just cause you don’t know where guys are actually retreating from. So, just being able to keep your head on a swivel and trust it.”
Is Milton as good as he looked Thursday night? Probably not, and it’s important to note he was playing against the dregs of the NFL and wasn’t asked to do anything overly difficult.
Milton ran a simplified NFL offense — the kind he’s run throughout training camp. If he were asked to run a real offense against a real defense, things could’ve gotten ugly in a hurry.
Still, Milton, who isn’t close to competing with Maye or Brissett, hasn’t seen much playing time this summer. And the reps he’s seen have called for check-downs and intermediate throws — not the 80-yard bombs he’s known for.
However, Thursday night gave Milton a chance to just play football and show what he’s capable of.
“It felt great. It’s a blessing,” he said. “Not too many people are blessed with an opportunity like that. So, just to go out there and just to do what I’ve been doing for a long time … I had a lot of fun.”
Do games allow the Patriots rookie to showcase his talents in ways not possible in practice?
“I feel like they both allow you to showcase your talent,” he said. “I feel like it’s just what you do with your opportunity. Are you gonna cherish everything and make the most of it? Or are you just gonna let it go to waste?”
Jerod Mayo Gives Milton His Flowers
After his first game as an NFL head coach, Mayo was asked to assess Milton’s performance.
“Joe went out there — we know he has a big arm, he has the athleticism,” Mayo said during a postgame news conference. “He’s getting better with his reads every single day. He has natural leadership ability. But it’s not just about one game; it’s about the full body of work.
“So, you can come out here and play well, but you also have to do it on a day-to-day basis in practice. And you gotta gain the confidence of not only the coaches but also your teammates — and this was a step forward for him.”
Jerod Mayo Live Postgame Press Conference: https://t.co/OExkxYatZm
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) August 9, 2024
Mayo then was asked to identify one player who exceeded his expectations. Bill Belichick would’ve scoffed at the question, but Mayo actually named someone: Milton.
“Honestly, I need to go back and watch the film,” Mayo said. “The easy answer would be Joe. Joe went out there and … I don’t think we’ve ever seen a quarterback here run around as much as he did and still was able to get the ball down the field.
“He’s one of those guys [who exceeded expectations]. it was Joe.”
Milton Reacts to Mayo’s Comments
Milton was informed of Mayo’s remarks during his post-game presser. And though the 24-year-old rookie expressed his gratitude, he made sure to keep things in perspective.
“Man, hearing that from the head coach — thanks to him,” Milton said. “But I feel like I got a lot more work to do. There’s a lot of things in the offense that I need to learn and learn them fast. So, just being hard on myself. That’s the only way I got this far — just being hard on myself.
“So, thanks to Coach Mayo for saying that, but I feel like I just got a lot of work to do. Gotta keep studying. Can’t get complacent.”
“Can’t get complacent.”
— Joe Milton on his performance snd Jerod Mayo praising him
Milton says he still has a lot to learn
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— Patriots on CLNS Media (@PatriotsCLNS) August 9, 2024
Milton’s performance surely will be a talking point in the coming days — because that’s what happens on Boston radio. The predictable comparisons to Maye will get louder, especially if Maye continues to underwhelm in practice.
For what it’s worth, Milton told Pro Football Network that he hadn’t seen last week’s viral Colin Cowherd video. He also isn’t worried about people trying to drive a wedge between him and his more-heralded teammate.
“I mean, I feel like we’re both humble enough to be centered and just go out there and do what we can do, and just put our best foot forward every day,” Milton said. ” … I feel like that’s the only thing we can do.
” … I don’t feel like Drake, neither do I look on social media and look up stuff for that. I feel like we’re both just so focused on being where our feet are at right now.”
Milton, Maye, and the rest of the Patriots will take the next two days off before returning to practice on Sunday morning. New England will hold another practice on Monday before welcoming the Philadelphia Eagles on Tuesday for a joint session in Foxboro.
The Eagles practice could provide Milton with another opportunity to win over his coaches and teammates. But Milton is focused on improving every day, regardless of the setting.
“Joint practices or not, I’m just blessed to go out there and have an opportunity to practice,” he said.