ARLINGTON, Texas — Joe Milton III will start Friday night’s preseason finale against the New Orleans Saints, Dallas Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said on the team’s pregame show. Sam Howell plays the second half.
Kickoff at AT&T Stadium is 7 p.m. CT on CBS.
What Joe Milton III And Sam Howell Have Done This Preseason
At Lumen Field on Aug. 15, Howell and Milton played opposite halves. Howell completed 8 of 12 passes for 94 yards and a touchdown, earning a 118.1 rating. Milton finished 12 of 15 for 107 yards, also with a touchdown, and a slightly higher rating of 118.6. Neither quarterback threw an interception, and Seattle did not sack either.
Milton secured the victory by taking possession at the Dallas 15 with 6:32 left, converting five first downs before kneeling to run out the clock.
A week later in Glendale, Milton started the game, and Dallas led 24-6 at halftime. Milton completed 9 of 13 passes for 179 yards and 2 touchdowns, earning a 151.4 rating, and he also scored a third touchdown with a 1-yard run. Four of his six possessions in the first half resulted in points.
The touchdown throws went 53 yards to Jonathan Mingo and 8 yards to Malik Davis. A 70-yard pass to Camden Brown set up Milton’s run. Howell followed with 7-of-10 for 65 yards. His interception came in the end zone. He took a sack and gained 7 yards on his only carry. Two games in, Milton is 21-of-28 for 286 yards with 3 touchdown passes and no interceptions. Howell is 15-of-22 for 159 yards.
Taken strictly as a training camp competition, Schottenheimer said Monday at The Star, the two were close to even, with Howell maybe a little bit ahead. That was the reason Dallas started Howell at Seattle.
After Wednesday night’s practice, Schottenheimer said the call would come in the next day or so and that both quarterbacks would play Friday.
The Roster Math Behind The Dallas Cowboys Quarterback Decision
Dak Prescott has not dressed this preseason. He started all 17 games last season and completed 404-of-600 for 4,552 yards with 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He made the Pro Bowl and finished third in AP Comeback Player of the Year voting.
Rosters must be at 53 players by 5 p.m. CT Sunday, Aug. 30, two days earlier than recent years. Waiver claims are due at noon CT the next day.
Joe Milton III And Sam Howell Before This Preseason
New England drafted Milton in the sixth round, 193rd overall, in 2024. He played one game as a rookie. The Patriots traded him to Dallas in April 2025 for a fifth-round pick, with a seventh-round pick coming back. Last season, he played 4 games, completing 15-of-24 for 183 yards, 1 touchdown, 2 interceptions, and ran 5 times for 50 yards.
Howell signed with Dallas on March 10. Drafted 144th overall by Washington in 2022 from North Carolina, he started all 17 games in 2023. He spent time with Seattle, Minnesota, and Philadelphia before Dallas. He hasn’t played in the regular season since 2024, when he played 2 games for the Seahawks and attempted 14 passes. Over four seasons, he’s completed 404 of 645 passes for 4,139 yards, with 22 touchdowns, 23 interceptions, and a passer rating of 77.5.
What Is Left Before The Dallas Cowboys Cut to 53
New Orleans, 0-2, is sitting starters. The teams practiced in Oxnard, California, on Aug. 18. Both were fined after fights broke out.
Dallas is 2-0. The Cowboys haven’t gone undefeated in preseason since 1985.
The Cowboys open the regular season Sept. 13 against the New York Giants.
