What to know about new Eagles starting QB Joe Milton, from his viral orange throw to his famous cousin
As Milton prepares to make his first NFL start, here are some fun facts about the newest Eagles QB1.
The Eagles have a new starting quarterback, and he has an arm strong enough to launch an orange the length of a football field.
Joe Milton will make his first NFL start Sunday against the New York Giants, replacing Tanner McKee as the Eagles look to snap a six-game losing streak.
» READ MORE: Eagles name Joe Milton starting quarterback for Week 9 against Giants
The 26-year-old joined the Eagles roughly three weeks ago after being signed off the Dallas Cowboys’ practice squad. Now, with Jalen Hurts sidelined and the Eagles sitting at 2-6, Milton is getting his opportunity.
Here’s what to know about the Eagles’ newest starting quarterback:
He once threw an orange 100 yards
Milton’s arm strength has been turning heads for years, but perhaps his most unusual throw didn’t involve a football.
In December 2022, while Tennessee was preparing to face Clemson in the Orange Bowl, Milton participated in a challenge to see how far he could throw an actual orange.
The result? Roughly 100 yards.
Milton later suggested he could throw one even farther and said his arm had been tired from practice.
He’s cousins with Super Bowl champion Anquan Boldin
Football talent runs in Milton’s family.
His cousin is former NFL wide receiver Anquan Boldin, who played 14 seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, San Francisco 49ers, and Detroit Lions.
Boldin earned three Pro Bowl selections, won Super Bowl XLVII with Baltimore, and finished his career with 1,076 receptions for 13,779 yards and 82 touchdowns.
The two also share roots in Pahokee, Fla., where Boldin attended high school and Milton was born.
» READ MORE: What we know (and don’t) about the Eagles entering Week 9 vs. the Giants
He played six seasons of college football
Milton’s road to the NFL began at Michigan, where he spent three seasons from 2018 to 2020 before transferring to Tennessee.
He became the Volunteers’ full-time starter in 2023 and finished the season with 2,813 passing yards, 20 touchdowns, and five interceptions. He also rushed for 299 yards and seven touchdowns.
His college career spanned six seasons, and he graduated from Michigan in 2021 with a degree in American culture.
His NFL debut was impressive
Milton was selected in the sixth round of the 2024 draft by the New England Patriots.
He made his regular-season debut in New England’s 2024 season finale against the Buffalo Bills, taking over for Drake Maye and completing 22 of 29 passes for 241 yards and a touchdown.
Milton also rushed for a touchdown, helping the Patriots secure a 23-16 victory.
Despite the performance, he was traded to Dallas in April 2025.
» READ MORE: Jason Kelce’s ‘dream guest’ explains the physics of the Tush Push, and more from ‘New Heights’
The Eagles took him from a division rival
Before becoming the Eagles’ newest starter, Milton was competing for a backup job behind Dak Prescott in Dallas.
The Cowboys ultimately chose former Eagle Sam Howell over Milton before the 2026 season, waiving him before bringing him back on their practice squad.
The Eagles signed Milton on Oct. 16 as their quarterback situation became increasingly uncertain following Hurts’ injury.
Less than a month later, Milton is preparing to start against the Giants, with an opportunity to provide a spark to an offense that has struggled for much of the season.
The Eagles have problems. Eight games into the season, that much is sure. But which ones are symptomatic, versus the ones that are systemic? From the head coach to the personnel, from coordinators to the front office, The Inquirer’s Jeff McLane and David Murphy scrutinize the micro issues that point to some of the larger dilemmas the Eagles now face: should they start to pack it in, and who will be held accountable for the team’s shortcomings? Listen here.
Listen to all episodes here or wherever you get your podcasts.
