Quarterback Joe Milton III, who played for most of the game, went on his Instagram Live and responded to the noise from frustrated fans.

So Maye went to the sideline. Rookie seventh round pick Joe Milton emerged in his place — a decision that let the Patriots better understand what the young, rocket-armed quarterback was capable of while enhancing the team’s chance of locking in the top overall pick.

New England Patriots quarterback Joe Milton III scored the first touchdown of his NFL career on Sunday against the Buffalo Bills. The rookie quarterback ran it in from a yard out to give the Patriots a 7-0 lead following the extra point.

That puts the Patriots in a unique position of already having a franchise quarterback in Drake Maye and quite possibly another top-tier option in Milton. There are currently two options for the Patriots: keep Milton as insurance for Maye, or look to move him for draft picks.

Joe Milton was playing near perfectly. Milton and running back Antonio Gibson lost the ball on a handoff exchange and it was recovered by Buffalo defense end Javon Solomon at the Patriots' 16-yard line. Bills allow Sam Martin to reach $100k contract ...

Joe Milton III offered his perspective on fans criticizing the Patriots for not losing their final game of the season.

The New England Patriots have beaten the Buffalo Bills 23-16 and lost out on the number 1 pick This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Rookie quarterback Joe Milton III made his NFL debut for the New England Patriots in Sunday afternoon's Week 18 regular season finale versus the Buffalo Bills at Gillette Stadium, and he made quite the first impression.

Drake Maye's season came to a close on Sunday, with the Patriots pulling the rookie after just one series against the Bills.

In his first NFL start, former Tennessee QB Joe Milton led the Patriots past the Bills and allowed the Titans to earn the top pick in 2025 NFL draft.

Joe Milton III threw for one touchdown and rushed for another in his NFL debut to guide the New England Patriots to a 23-16 victory over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday afternoon in Foxborough ...

That means Milton could be preparing to make his first appearance in an NFL regular season game. On the Patriots’ list of inactives, there were a total of six players ruled out for the game, including cornerback Christian Gonzalez and tight end Hunter Henry.