Cowboys QB Joe Milton his own harshest critic: “I still feel like I’d give myself a D”
The Dallas Cowboys suffered their second preseason loss on Saturday and quarterback Joe Milton addressed his mistakes.
The preseason is just the preseason. It’s not any indication of what an NFL team will look like in the regular season. That’s good news for the Dallas Cowboys, who’ve lost their first two preseason games against the Los Angeles Rams and Baltimore Ravens.
What those losses did show was their severe lack of depth on the roster, including at the quarterback position. And Joe Milton has addressed his mistakes and given himself another poor grade.
Joe Milton explains what went wrong vs Ravens
Quarterback Joe Milton gave himself another harsh grade after his second preseason start, a 31-13 loss to the Ravens. Milton, who previously called his debut against the Rams a “D-minus,” said he would give this game a “D” as well - mostly due to a costly interception and a safety early in the contest.
Joe Milton has one of the strongest arms the NFL has ever seen. Unfortunately, he’s not good at QB. pic.twitter.com/0FtULfJl0Q
— Boston Cream 🍩 (@itsbostoncream) August 17, 2025
“If it wasn’t for the interception, I feel like it would’ve been a smooth C-plus,” Milton said. “But right now, I still feel like I’d give myself a D just because I’ve got to clean my eyes up.”
Milton finished 9-of-18 for 122 yards with one interception while being sacked twice. He admitted to misreading coverages on both the interception and the safety, acknowledging he needs to improve both his vision and footwork.
“Just looking at [Jonathan] Mingo knowing that he beat the corner, seeing the boundary safety roll down to that side and just knowing that I had a one-on-one over there with Mingo and that corner and I just trusted Mingo,” Milton explained. “But I just got to fix my eyes and see the post safety roll in over there.”
Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer backed Milton’s accountability, stressing a teaching approach rather than harsh criticism. Schottenheimer emphasized the importance of building rhythm through short completions and praised Milton’s willingness to learn despite the mistakes.
“You’re not going to yell, you’re not going to scream, you’re going to just teach,” Schottenheimer said. “The thing I love about Joe is when you talk to him, he’s like, ‘You’re right, you’re right.’”
With one preseason game left against the Atlanta Falcons on Friday, August 22, Milton faces mounting pressure in the battle for the Cowboys’ backup quarterback role.
Related stories
Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all.
Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.
Complete your personal details to comment