Though it may not have been a win Patriots fans wanted — with the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL draft hanging in the balance — rookie quarterback Joe Milton III provided a breath of fresh air on the final day of what has been a difficult season in New England.
Milton, 24, made his regular season NFL debut after replacing fellow Patriots rookie QB Drake Maye following the first series of the 23-16 victory over the Bills on a cold and sparsely attended January day at Gillette Stadium. Though he arrived with less hype (as a sixth-rounder to Maye’s first-round status), Milton showed he has the ability to play well.