An old Colin Cowherd take involving Joe Milton III and Drake Maye has resurfaced, and NFL fans are having plenty of fun with it.
Back in August 2024, Cowherd suggested that fans should not be surprised if Milton eventually beat Maye for the New England Patriots’ starting quarterback job. His then-famous prediction read: “Don’t be shocked if Joe Milton wins this job.”
At the time, Milton’s arm strength and athletic ability had some people intrigued, especially after reports suggested Maye was off to a slow start in training camp.
Fans Revisit Colin Cowherd’s Joe Milton III Vs. Drake Maye Take
At the time, Cowherd believed Milton’s physical tools would give him a real chance to challenge Maye, who was selected No. 3 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft.
With New England lacking proven talent around the quarterback position, Cowherd argued that Milton’s big-play ability could give him an advantage. However, that prediction has clearly not aged well.
Milton was traded by the Patriots after his rookie season and later served as a backup in Dallas. Despite showing flashes during the 2026 preseason, the Cowboys waived him ahead of roster cuts.
Maye, meanwhile, took a very different path. He established himself as New England’s long-term quarterback, and Cowherd later reversed course, even comparing Maye to a “mobile Tom Brady.”
With the contrast between the two quarterbacks becoming even clearer, fans were quick to bring Cowherd’s old prediction back into the spotlight.
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Daniel Rotman called it one of the worst quarterback takes he had seen. “Cowherd didn’t formulate this opinion with his own eyes. It originated because he listened to something Ben Volin said,” Rotman added.
This could genuinely go down as one of the worst takes in NFL history.
The funniest part?
Cowherd didn’t formulate this opinion with his own eyes. It originated because he listened to something Ben Volin said. https://t.co/2xxxEeMpUj
— Daniel Rotman (@daniel_rotman15) August 31, 2026
NFL analyst Pat Lane also weighed in, writing, “It’s hilarious how wrong certain people were about this…”
The PatsPro Podcast host called it “one of the most hilarious segments I’ve ever seen.”
One of the most hilarious segments I’ve ever seen. https://t.co/TMkmSuuMey
— Pats Pro (@PatsPro_21) August 31, 2026
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One fan used the moment to question how much trust should be placed in television analysts, writing, “This is why you can’t listen to these guys sometimes.”
Another simply responded, “Shocker! Colin Cowherd wrong again.”
Craig Haught was even more direct, writing, “This is why he shouldn’t be on television.”
This is why he shouldnt be on television 😶🌫️
— Craig Haught (@iGanKee) August 31, 2026
The reaction shows how quickly an old prediction can come back to haunt an NFL analyst. Cowherd was not the only person intrigued by Milton’s upside at the time, but the vastly different paths taken by Milton and Maye have made this particular prediction especially easy for fans to revisit.
