FRISCO, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys have not decided who starts Friday’s preseason finale against the New Orleans Saints, coach Brian Schottenheimer said Wednesday, and both quarterbacks will play.
Schottenheimer said the decision will come in the next day or so.
“We have not,” Schottenheimer said. “We’ll get into that later as we go. But I’ll just say this. I thought last night’s work was really, really good. It was great to have the fans out there. And last time we were in shells, we were a little too slow and addressed that with the guys. And I thought, as always, these guys give us what we ask for.”
Asked separately whether both quarterbacks would take the field Friday, Schottenheimer answered yes.
How The Dallas Cowboys Split The First Two Preseason Games
Sam Howell started the preseason opener in Seattle on Aug. 15, with Joe Milton III playing the second half. The two flipped the order Aug. 22 in Arizona. Through two games Howell has completed 15 of 22 passes for 159 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Milton has completed 21 of 28 for 286 yards and three touchdowns, and he has added a rushing score.
In the 34-13 win over the Cardinals, Milton went 9-of-13 for 179 yards before giving way. Howell finished 7-of-10 for 65 yards with an interception, took a sack, and gained 7 yards on his only carry.
Sam Howell’s Background And Joe Milton III’s 2025 Role
Dallas signed Howell in March. Washington took him 144th overall in the fifth round in 2022, out of North Carolina. He spent time with Seattle, Minnesota, and Philadelphia before Dallas. He has completed 404 of 645 passes for 4,139 yards across four seasons, with 22 touchdowns and 23 interceptions. His career passer rating is 77.5. He started 17 games for Washington in 2023.
Milton took 51 offensive snaps for Dallas in 2025, 4.30% of the team’s total, behind Dak Prescott. Prescott played 95.70% of the offensive snaps last season and finished 404 of 600 for 4,552 yards with 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He was a Pro Bowl reserve.
Dallas has to decide the order, then the number. Howell’s contract with the Cowboys is worth $2.5 million.
The Cowboys practiced Tuesday and Wednesday nights at The Star, the last two camp sessions before the finale. Friday’s kickoff is 7 p.m. CT at AT&T Stadium, with the game on CBS locally. Rosters must be at 53 by 5 p.m. CT Sunday, Aug. 30, two days earlier than the league’s usual Tuesday deadline.
Waiver claims are due at noon CT Monday, Aug. 31. Dallas opens the regular season Sunday, Sept. 13, at the New York Giants at 7:20 p.m. CT on NBC.
