Joe Milton’s Surprise Debut For Patriots Successful For Rookie Quarterback

Joe Milton III made his NFL debut in the Patriots’ bittersweet win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.

The sixth-round draft pick threw for 241 yards, completing 22 of 29 passes with a touchdown pass to Kayshon Boutte and added a rushing touchdown of his own.

“Man, I feel like today was a great step in the direction for my development, my future itself, just because you never know,” Milton told reporters at Gillette Stadium after his first win as starting quarterback. “The full length of an average career in the NFL is three years, so just try to take every rep that I get, even if it’s in practice or a game, just try to take it serious as much as I can. Whatever it takes to do, whatever I got to do, I do it.”

Milton admitted that he found out just before the Patriots’ game against the Bills that he would be replacing Drake Maye.

“After kickoff,” Milton explained. “After kickoff, they were like, ‘You’re going in next series.’ I was like, all right, let’s do it.”

The 24-year-old showed off his acrobat skills by doing a backflip to celebrate his rushing touchdown to give the Patriots a 7-0 lead. Even after the New England win, it all didn’t seem “real” to the young signal-caller.

“Man, I’m going to be honest with you all,” Milton said. “Still to this moment right now, none of this feels real. Just because I did the scout team the whole year. I didn’t know when my moment was going to come.

“Everybody around the building just kept saying the same thing, just be ready for your moment, and I didn’t know it was going to come today. Like I said all week if the opportunity presents itself, then I’ll be ready. None of this today still feels real, and even right now it still doesn’t. I’m just trying to enjoy it as much as I can, but at the same time just be cheerful with my brothers and cherish the moments that I have right now before it’s all over.”

Even though the Bills rested most of their starters against the Patriots, Milton still showed he could run the offense at the NFL level, which was a success in itself.

“I don’t think I proved anything to nobody,” he said. “I think I proved it to myself like it’s always been, just showing that I’m able to be here, able to play this game, and just showing myself that it’s me.”