Cowboys Head Coach Brian Schottenheimer Sets Rules for Backup QB Battle

The stakes are clear when it comes to the battle to become the backup quarterback behind Dallas Cowboys superstar Dak Prescott — now the rules of the competition seem to be coming into focus as well.

Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer laid down some parameters for the competition between Joe Milton and Sam Howell to be Prescott’s backup.

“Brian Schottenheimer said the No. 2 qb reps will be split evenly between Joe Milton and Sam Howell,” ESPN’s Todd Archer wrote on X on Tuesday. “Last week Milton took the No. 2 reps, this week will be Howell. ‘It’s going to be a fun competition,’ Schottenheimer said.”

Milton was Prescott’s backup in 2025 as the Cowboys went 7-9-1 and missed the playoffs for the 2nd consecutive season. Howell started all 17 games for the Washington Commanders in 2023, and the Cowboys are his 4th team in the last 3 seasons, following stints with the Seattle Seahawks, Minnesota Vikings, and Philadelphia Eagles.

Joe Milton Has ‘Most to Prove’ in 2025

Archer previously singled out Milton as the Cowboys player with the “Most To Prove” this offseason as he tries to fend off Howell.

“Acquired in a trade last year from the New England Patriots, Milton wowed with his arm strength last spring and into training camp,” Archer wrote. “In four regular-season appearances in 2025, he completed 15 of 24 passes for 183 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. He played in the second half of the finale and was picked off. The Cowboys signed Sam Howell in free agency with a $2 million guarantee, so there will be a battle for the No. 2 job behind Prescott. Milton can show a growing understanding of the scheme in his second year in the offense by not just relying on his powerful arm.”

Through his 1st 2 NFL seasons, Milton, a 2024 7th round pick, is already a footnote to what should be 1 of the more interesting sliding doors moments in NFL history.

Headed into the final game of the 2024 regular season with the Patriots in 2024, all New England had to do to secure the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft was lose to the Buffalo Bills in the final game.

With a lame-duck coach in Jerod Mayo and starting quarterback and 2024 No. 3 overall pick Drake Maye sitting out as a precaution — as well as almost all of the starters for the playoff-bound Bills sitting out — Milton stepped in to lead the Patriots to a win and blew the No. 1 overall pick.

Mayo was fired after the game. Milton was traded to the Cowboys shortly thereafter.

Cowboys Added Intrigue by Signing Sam Howell

It would have been easy for the Cowboys to just hand the backup quarterback role to Milton for a 2nd consecutive season. To the credit of the Cowboys and their coaching staff, it appears as if they’re going out of their way not to do things the easy way anymore.

Howell spent the 2025 season as a backup quarterback on the Philadelphia Eagles. He played 2 seasons for the Commanders in 2022 and 2023, taking over as the full-time starter in 2023.

That year, he had one of the worst seasons for a starting NFL quarterback in recent memory with the Commanders in 2023, when he went 4-13 and led the NFL with 21 interceptions.

“Howell made his first start vs. Dallas in 2022 with Washington,” Archer wrote on March 10. “Cowboys now have four QBs in Dak Prescott, Joe Milton III, Will Grier and Howell.”

Like HEAVY’s content? Be sure to follow us.

This article was originally published on HEAVY

The post Cowboys Head Coach Brian Schottenheimer Sets Rules for Backup QB Battle appeared first on HEAVY.