The last time the New England Patriots had to make the decision between two starting-caliber quarterbacks to lead the future of the franchise, they chose the less-heralded pick.

It was 2002 and New England decided to pᴀss on former No. 1 overall pick Drew Bledsoe, who spent most of the season prior injured. In his place in 2001, the Patriots turned to a backup quarterback named Tom Brady, who they picked with the 199th overall selection in 2000. Under Brady, the Pats promptly won the Super Bowl.

Mike Vrabel was in that locker room. Perhaps he remembered the tough decision that Bill Belichick had to make in 2002.

Regardless, Vrabel – now head coach of the Patriots – decided to keep the decision  making process as short as possible. Vrabel went with the inverse of Belichick’s decision – choosing Drake Maye, New England’s third-overall pick in 2024, over Joe Milton, the 193rd pick in the same draft.

Last week, Milton was shipped off to the Dallas Cowboys along with a seventh-round pick in exchange for a fifth-round pick.

Milton’s strong performance in New England’s final game of the season led some to believe the 25-year-old could have what it took to challenge – or supplant – Maye in the starting role.

Joe Milton was traded off the New England Patriots to the Dallas Cowboys for a fifth-round pick

Milton believed he had what it took to take the starting job from third-overall pick Drake Maye

But Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel reportedly didn’t want a battle in his first year of coaching

But according to Mᴀsslive.com, Vrabel didn’t want to have anything get in the way of what he’s trying to build within the team.

The outlet reported that Milton ‘made it clear behind the scenes he no longer wanted to be sitting behind Maye.’

Mᴀsslive continued: ‘For Vrabel, who is trying to establish a culture, and trying to set the tone for what’s to come, that atтιтude didn’t fly.’

Milton stunned Patriots fans who attended the cloudy, brisk final game at Gillette Stadium expecting a loss and a confirmation of the No. 1 overall pick.

Instead, against the Buffalo Bills’ backups, Milton completed 22-of-29 pᴀsses for 241 yards and a touchdown to secure a 23-16 win. 

After that performance, Milton believed he could be a starting quarterback for the Patriots, according to the outlet. If not, he ‘preferred’ to be moved somewhere else if he wasn’t given the chance to compete. 

Instead of letting a quarterback battle commence under his watch, Vrabel and the Patriots front-office moved Milton – with another former Tennessee quarterback, Josh Dobbs, serving as the backup. 

‘Yeah, I think Joe did everything that they asked him to do last year. Sounds like in conversations that he worked extremely hard, and that’s tough when you’re a quarterback,’ Vrabel said. 

Milton stunned in the Patriots’ final game last season against the Buffalo Bills

‘Everybody wants to play. Everybody wants to be the starter, everybody and that’s great to have that atтιтude.

‘And he was ready for his opportunity there late in the season, which I commend him on, just like I would any player that sat there and went through a long season, a difficult season, and then got the opportunity, went out, won a football game, played well, helped his team win.

‘And then where that leads to, we’ll see as the draft approaches, or where Joe is on April 7 to start our offseason program.’

As for his move to the Cowboys, Milton is reportedly ‘happy’ with his new team because his mother is a longtime fan of Dallas.

Milton will now compete with Cooper Rush for the backup role behind Dak Prescott.