Cowboys news: Brian Schottenheimer weighs in on 'neck and neck' backup QB battle appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
On Friday, the Dallas Cowboys encountered a few rough patches during their final preseason contest, a 27-24 loss to the New Orleans Saints. They were trailing by 15, 24-9, heading into the fourth period, but they deserve plenty of credit for at least making it a game towards the end. The Cowboys tied the game at 24, with backup quarterback candidate Sam Howell taking control and leading Dallas to two touchdown drives.
Alas, that comeback attempt proved to be too little too late, as a field goal from the Saints was enough to give them the victory in the end. From that game, one would think that it became more obvious as to who’s in the lead for the backup job behind star man Dak Prescott, with Howell showing the requisite composure to lead his team back from a considerable deficit.
Nonetheless, Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer said that the battle between Howell and Joe Milton III for the backup quarter job remains “neck and neck” as “both guys want to win the spot”, as per Calvin Watkins of Dallas Morning News.
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Howell was once the starting quarterback for the Washington Commanders, but he has since served as a third-string QB in the NFL, most recently serving as the third option for the Philadelphia Eagles. He did not play a single snap in 2025, as Jalen Hurts’ health held steady throughout the campaign.
Meanwhile, the Cowboys believed in Milton enough to trade a fifth-round pick for him in April of 2025, and he served as the backup last season to Prescott. His advantage in this backup QB position battle is that he knows the team’s offensive system and playbook by heart after having already spent a season with the team, and Dallas may be more invested in him as a result.
Nonetheless, this situation should get a resolution soon, as both QBs did everything they could to complicate Schottenheimer’s final decision.
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