Joe Milton explains why he never did a backflip after scoring at Tennessee and it was all because of a punter

Former Tennessee Vols quarterback Joe Milton, a sixth round selection by the New England Patriots in the 2024 NFL Draft, loves to break out a backflip on the practice field, before games, and after games.

But Milton, who has been doing the backflips since he was three years old (the age when his dad taught him), never did a backflip at Tennessee to celebrate a touchdown.

And there's a reason why.

Milton told reporters on Friday at Patriots training camp that he decided against doing a backflip to celebrate in college after USC punter Will Rose was penalized in 2022 for doing a backflip while celebrating a successful two-point conversion.

"If I don't get a flag and a fine, I'll do it (as a celebration in the NFL)," said Milton. "I wanted to do it in college, but after the USC player did it, they kinda told me that it was bad so I didn't do it."

That's a silly unsportsmanlike penalty. It wasn't taunting. And it wasn't some wild group celebration. Just a simple flip.

But good on Milton for resisting the urge to do a backflip after a touchdown and avoiding a penalty.

The good news for Milton is that a backflip doesn't appear to draw a penalty or a fine in the NFL.

Related: Former Tennessee Vols QB Joe Milton is seriously impressing folks during Patriots training camp