Joe Milton made his NFL debut as a starting quarterback for the New England Patriots on Sunday. His jersey is now enshrined in the organization’s Hall of Fame.
Why? Great question. There is no justifiable explanation that could make this new addition make sense.
Milton was drafted with the No. 193 overall pick in the sixth round of the NFL Draft after three years at Tennessee and three years at Michigan. The 24-year-old rookie is known for his rocket arm and his impressive speed for someone who is listed 6-foot-5, 246 pounds. However, he often struggled with accuracy while in college, especially in the underneath area. His lack of touch can be a real problem.
That was not the case on Sunday. New England started Milton over Drake Maye during the regular season finale of a down year. He completed 22 of his 29 pass attempts for 241 yards and one touchdown, without an interception.
Milton also found the end zone with his legs and made the most exciting play of the year that didn’t count. It was the second hardest pass in NFL history at 61.71 miles per hour.
— 1-1-1-1 (@pahrduve) January 8, 2025
The Patriots defeated the Bills 23-16 for their fourth win of the season. It was a very encouraging performance from their backup quarterback even though Buffalo played its backups.
Although a victory is always nice, this specific win was actually detrimental. New England was going to pick first overall in April with a loss. A win bumped the organization back to No. 4.
Despite the unfortunate result of the positive result, Milton apparently played well enough to be enshrined into the Hall of Fame. The jersey he wore in his first-career start is currently on display.
Notice the label, which promotes Joe Milton’s first touchdown. It does not reference his laser throw. It does not have any historical context.
Why is Joe Milton’s jersey in the Patriots Hall of Fame after one start that cost the organization the No. 1 pick? Great question. Even if it is just a rotating display to capitalize on the hype, it is weird.