The New England Patriots have been called out consistently for beating the Buffalo Bills in the season finale and losing the No. 1 overall pick of the 2025 NFL draft.
Quarterback Joe Milton III, who played for most of the game, went on his Instagram Live and responded to the noise from frustrated fans.
“I ain’t played football since preseason. If y’all was in my shoes and y’all was given an opportunity to go play, why would you go out there and not show up and show out?” said Milton. “Why would I go out there? So y’all can talk about me if I lose? Ya’ll want me to go out there and lose and ya’ll be like, ‘Oh, I’m glad he lost so he can get traded.’ And then what? Make that make sense.”
#Patriots QB Joe Milton on IG Live on not getting the 1st overall pick:
“I ain’t played football since preseason. If y’all was in my shoes and y’all was given an opportunity to play, why would you go out there and not show up and show out. So y’all can talk about me if I lose?” pic.twitter.com/521V4UKLN5
— New England Sports Fellow (@NESportsFellow) January 9, 2025
Milton played at a high level against the Bills going 22-of-29 passing for 241 yards and a touchdown. He also tacked on a rushing touchdown in a game where he finished with a 75.9 completion percentage.
His performance was a big reason why the Patriots were able to come away with the 23-16 victory. Unfortunately, the win moved them down the draft board to the No. 4 overall pick.
With that said, Milton was simply playing for his job and position on the team. It’s the same with every player on the field in the NFL. It comes with the territory of competing in a performance-based league.
