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WATCH: Former Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton dazzles in NFL Debut

On3 imageby:Eric Cain•01/05/25•

_Cainer

Joe Milton III
© Eric Canha | USA TODAY Sports

There weren’t many highlights on the field for the New England Patriots this season, but quarterback Joe Milton’s NFL debut in the regular-season finale was certainly one to remember.

Milton, who was drafted by the franchise in the sixth round of the NFL Draft last spring, made his pro debut Sunday during the Patriots’ 23-16 win over the Buffalo Bills. The former Tennessee signal-caller took over for starter Drake Maye following the first offensive series of the ballgame.

Milton finished the day going 22-for-29 through the air for 241 yards with one passing and one rushing touchdown.

“That I can do it,” Milton said postgame to CBS reporter Adita Kinkhabwala when asked what he believed he showed the league today. “I think I showed myself that I’m capable of doing this. If coaches around feel like I did a good job, then I did. At the same time, I feel like I also need things to work on. For my first time out here, it was fun.”

He completed his first 11 passes of the day. Milton’s first completion was for 12 yards to DeMario Douglas. The last quarterback to complete his first 11 career pass attempts was QB Gardner Minshew on Sept. 8, 2019 with Jacksonville against Kansas City. Milton scored his first NFL touchdown on a one-yard run that capped a 13-play, 55-yard drive in the first quarter.  

Milton’s first touchdown pass went to Kayshon Boutte on a 48-yard strike rolling out to his right.

The 48-yard strike that was his first career passing touchdown is the longest for a Patriots rookie quarterback on his first career touchdown since Drew Bledsoe hit Ben Coates for 54 yards in 1993. It’s also the longest touchdown pass from a Patriots quarterback since 2023 when Mac Brown found Pharaoh Brown against the Jets.

The Patriots entered the day in contention for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. With a loss, those hopes were still alive. Instead, the win means New England will pick fourth while the Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns and New York Giants, who all finished 3-14, will pick 1-3, respectively.  

“If you look too far in the future, you’re not going to get where you want to go – as a team, as a person and as a whole or as an individual,” Milton continued. “You have to keep going. Only thing that was on our mind this week was this game. This game meant a lot to us because it was the next one. It was the next opportunity, so we were looking forward to that.”   

VFL Jerod Mayo fired after one season as New England head coach

Also making news on the day in New England was Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft firing head coach Jerod Mayo. The former Tennessee All-SEC linebacker spent his entire professional career with the Patriots, playing for eight seasons and being a part of the caching staff since 2019.  

The two-time Pro Bowler was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the year in 2008 and was a First-Team All-Pro in 2010. Mayo won a Super Bowl as a player in 2014 and eld the NFL in tackles in 2010.

“After the game today, I informed Jerod Mayo that he will not be returning as the head coach of the New England Patriots in 2025,” the statement read. “For me, personally, this was one of the hardest decisions I have ever made. I have known Jerod for 17 years. He earned my respect and admiration as a rookie in 2008 and throughout his career for his play on the field, his leadership in the locker room and the way he conducted himself in our community. When he joined our coaching staff, his leadership was even more evident, as I saw how the players responded to him. When other teams started requesting to interview him, I feared I would lose him and committed to making him our next head coach. Winning our season-opener on the road at Cincinnati only strengthened my convictions. Unfortunately, the trajectory of our team’s performances throughout the season did not ascend as I had hoped.”

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