Just a week ago, the Dallas Cowboys waived Joe Milton III and decided that Sam Howell would be Dak Prescott’s backup for the 2026 season. But just a couple of days later, Milton decided to get back to Dallas as a practice squad member. Of course, the cut was “shocking,” and the former backup quarterback didn’t try to hide his feelings. And it didn’t budge his strong belief in himself. 

“I’m still the best quarterback in my eyes,” Milton said about the change in his mentality following the roster cut, according to Nick Harris on X. “It is what it is. It’s something you got to live with and take to the chin.”

That confidence came after a relatively short but meaningful run in Dallas. The Cowboys acquired Joe Milton from the New England Patriots in April 2025, sending a fifth-round pick in exchange for the young quarterback and a seventh-round selection.

Milton was brought in as a developmental option behind Dak Prescott, but he became the Cowboys’ primary backup during the 2025 season. He appeared in four regular-season games and completed 15 of 24 passes for 183 yards, with one touchdown and two interceptions. Considering that recent role, Dallas’ decision to waive him after the competition with Sam Howell made the move all the more surprising.

Joe gave Howell a tough matchup in the preseason. He completed 29 of 43 passes for 378 yards and scored three touchdowns. Meanwhile, Howell completed 27 of 40 passes for 314 yards. He also scored three touchdowns (two passing touchdowns and one rushing touchdown). Milton has played only five games in the regular season over a tenure of two years. He has recorded a 69.8% completion rate (37 completions) for 424 yards and two touchdowns. 

However, Dallas based the decision on more than preseason statistics. Despite Milton’s preseason production, Schottenheimer said Dallas evaluated the entire quarterback competition before naming Howell the backup.

“We looked at the whole body of work,” Schottenheimer said on September 3, as per AP News. “We just felt like Sam had done a little bit more just in terms of executing the offense in certain areas.”

Not to mention, Milton’s claims about being the ‘best quarterback’ likely stem from his strong arm. After all, during his collegiate career, Tennessee Volunteers receivers claimed that catching throws from Milton would often rip their gloves. On top of that, Milton once claimed to have thrown a 90-yard pass. However, in the NFL, his longest pass was a 53-yard one to Jonathan Mingo in the preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals. His performance even pushed Asante Samuel to make an unexpected claim.

“Joe Milton III brings more to the table than Dak Prescott,” Samuel said on the Say What Needs To Be Said podcast. “That’s just the truth. The most intriguing thing I noticed about Joe Milton in the huddle is he looks like the biggest player, the biggest athlete out there on offense. He is a very big dude. Just having to tackle him on defenses is a tough task. He’s a weapon to have on the team, and I can’t believe how many teams that needed a legit quarterback refused to require Joe Milton.” 

The quarterback further revealed that the decision to return to Dallas wasn’t really a hard one. He put his confidence in the relationships he has with the Cowboys. He trusted them with his development. Coming into the preseason, Milton explained that he doesn’t feel like he’d change anything.

That trust in the organization also came with a clear reality: Dallas had added significant competition during the 2026 offseason. The Cowboys signed Sam Howell to a one-year deal, bringing in a quarterback with considerably more starting experience than Milton.

Howell started all 17 games for the Washington Commanders in 2023, throwing for 3,946 yards and 21 touchdowns while also recording 21 interceptions. That full-season experience gave Dallas another established option behind Dak Prescott, while Milton entered training camp trying to retain the backup role he held in 2025.

“Everything happens for a reason,” he argued. 

In the end, the former backup managed to make a comeback, even though he’s on the practice squad. And head coach Brian Schottenheimer felt fortunate to acquire Milton back. 

“Quarterback rooms around the league are pretty crowded right now, but he’s certainly talented enough to get claimed,” Coach Schottenheimer weighed in on Milton’s return to Dallas. “It’s our good fortune that he wasn’t.”  

Even Prescott was happy about Milton’s return following the roster cut. He simply looks forward to being the “right leader” and giving Milton all that he needs in order for him to not be frustrated at the franchise’s decision. 

“Just me, personally, I thought he would’ve been picked up in the waivers or whatever it is,” Prescott said. “Fortunate for us, we got a hell of a player back and a guy that makes our room better. A guy that makes our team better.

“His spirit, just the way that he approaches the day, he’s a hell of a dude, he’s a hell of a competitor, one of the best at throwing the ball, honestly, and just his talent. Just the way he’s jumped and progressed from year to year, I know what’s ahead of him.” 

Armed with arguably the strongest throwing arm and support from the franchise quarterback and coach, Milton stays focused on developing himself.