FRISCO, Texas — Joe Milton III said the one thing he set out to fix this offseason was his mindset between plays. The Dallas Cowboys quarterback said Tuesday at The Star that he gets emotionally tied to football and had to learn to let a play go.
Milton said having a daughter has taught him patience and that he is not as short-tempered as he was last year.
“I say my mindset in between plays, being able to flush a play, not worrying about the last, not being too emotionally invested,” Milton said. “When I say that, not yelling at someone cuz they wrong or not getting mad at myself for doing something wrong or not taking the right footstep, just being able to flush and move on to the next play.”
“I’m just a person that just loved football a lot and I just get very emotionally tied to it,” Milton continued. “I’m pretty sure all quarterbacks do, but that’s just to name my position.”
Joe Milton III’s Preseason
Milton has not thrown an interception in either preseason game. He has completed 21-of-28 for 286 yards with 3 touchdowns across the two, and he added a 1-yard rushing touchdown at Arizona on Saturday night.
He completed 9-of-13 for 179 yards with 2 touchdowns at Arizona and 12-of-15 for 107 yards with a touchdown at Seattle on Aug. 15. Brian Schottenheimer said Monday that Milton is reading through his first, second, third, and at times fourth progressions.
Milton played 4 games last season and completed 15-of-24 for 183 yards with 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions. New England drafted him in the sixth round, 193rd overall, in 2024 and traded him to Dallas in April 2025 for a fifth-round pick, with a seventh-round pick coming back.
The Dallas Cowboys Quarterback Job
Schottenheimer said Monday that the training camp competition between Milton and Sam Howell was close, with Howell maybe a little bit ahead, and that Dallas is not ready to make a decision. Howell started the opener at Seattle. Milton started at Arizona.
Howell has completed 15-of-22 for 159 yards with 1 touchdown and 1 interception this preseason. Dak Prescott started all 17 games last season and has not played.
What Is Left Before Dallas Cowboys Cuts
Dallas practices in front of fans at The Star again Wednesday. The preseason closes Friday against the New Orleans Saints at AT&T Stadium. Kickoff is 7 p.m. CT on CBS.
Rosters must be at 53 players by 5 p.m. CT on Sunday, Aug. 30. Waiver claims are due at noon CT the next day.
