New England Patriots quarterback Joe Milton III during warmups before the start of the game against the San Francisco 49ers. Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images

Brian Schottenheimer praises new Cowboys QB Joe Milton's work ethic

Originally posted on Dallas Cowboys on SI
By Josh Sanchez | Last updated May 22, 2025 8:03 AM ET

The Dallas Cowboys were aggressive on the trade market this offseason, addressing several areas of need, including one of the most important positions on the field.

Dallas was in desperate need of a backup quarterback after the departures of Cooper Rush and Trey Lance in NFL free agency, and found their guy, Joe Milton III, in a trade with the New England Patriots.

With the Cowboys' OTAs underway this week, fans are getting a first look at Milton in his Cowboys uniform and the coaching staff has immediately come away impressed.

Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer had nothing but praise for Milton and his approach the game.

“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 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," Schottenheimer said, via Jon Machota of The Athletic.

“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, but really Dak take a mentorship role with Joe. The talent speaks for itself. You guys will see it. He made some incredible throws (Monday). He’s just an exciting young prospect that I think the sky’s the limit for.”

Dallas will obviously hope that Dak Prescott can stay healthy this season, but if he goes down at any point, Schottenheimer seems to have confidence that Milton will be prepared.

Last season, Milton saw limited action, completing 22-of-29 passes for 241 yards and one touchdown. He added 16 yards and a score on the ground.

This article first appeared on Dallas Cowboys on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: