The
New England Patriots, commonly called the "
Pats", are a professional
footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
team based in the
Greater BostonGreater Boston is the area of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts surrounding the city of Boston. Due to ambiguity in usage, the size of the area referred to can be anywhere between that of the metropolitan statistical area of Boston and that of the city's combined statistical area which includes...
area, playing their home games in the town of
Foxborough-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 16,246 people, 6,141 households, and 4,396 families residing in the town. The population density was 809.1 people per square mile . There were 6,299 housing units at an average density of 313.7 per square mile...
,
MassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
at
Gillette StadiumGillette Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in Foxborough, Massachusetts, 21 miles southwest of downtown Boston and from downtown Providence, Rhode Island. It serves as the home stadium and administrative offices for the New England Patriots football team and the New England Revolution...
. The team is part of the East Division of the
American Football ConferenceThe American Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the National Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL....
(AFC) in the
National Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL). The team changed its name from the original
Boston Patriots after
relocatingRelocation of professional sports teams is a practice which involves a sporting franchise moving from one metropolitan area to another, although occasionally moves between municipalities in the same conurbation are also included...
to Foxborough in 1971, although Foxborough is a suburb of Boston, 22 miles (35.4 km) away.
An original member of the
American Football LeagueThe American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
(AFL), the Patriots joined the NFL in the
1970 mergerThe AFL–NFL merger of 1970 was the merger of the two major professional American football leagues in the United States at the time: the National Football League and the American Football League...
of those leagues. The team advanced to the playoffs four times before appearing in
Super Bowl XXSuper Bowl XX was an American football championship game played on January 26, 1986 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1985 regular season...
in January
1986The 1985 New England Patriots season was the 16th season for the team in the National Football League and 26th season overall. The Patriots had a record of eleven wins and five losses, and finished tied for second in the AFC East division. They lost in Super Bowl XX to the Chicago Bears...
, losing to the
Chicago BearsThe Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. The team also appeared in
Super Bowl XXXISuper Bowl XXXI was an American football game played on January 26, 1997, at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1996 regular season. The National Football Conference champion Green Bay Packers defeated the American...
in January
1997The New England Patriots participated in the National Football League's 1996 season, the team's 37th in football. The Patriots finished with a record of eleven wins and five losses, and finished first in the AFC East division...
, losing to the
Green Bay PackersThe Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
.
In the 2000s the Patriots became one of the most successful teams in NFL history. They are currently tied for second with 6 appearances in a Super Bowl, and have the most appearances in the last 25 years. Between 2001–2010, the Patriots set a record for most wins in a decade (126, different from conventionally bounded decades, 2000–2009, 1990–1999, etc; this record references any 10 year stretch; 2nd is the 1984–1993 San Francisco 49ers, with 120 wins). Between
2001The 2001 New England Patriots season was the 32nd season for the team in the National Football League and 42nd season overall. They finished with an 11–5 record and a division title before advancing to and winning Super Bowl XXXVI....
and
2005The 2005 New England Patriots season was the 36th season for the team in the National Football League and 46th season overall. They finished with a 10–6 record and the division title before losing in the playoffs to the Denver Broncos....
, the Patriots became the second team in NFL history (after the
Dallas CowboysThe Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
) to win three Super Bowls in four years (
Super Bowl XXXVISuper Bowl XXXVI was an American football game played on February 3, 2002 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 2001 regular season. The American Football Conference champion New England Patriots won their first Super...
,
XXXVIIISuper Bowl XXXVIII was an American football game played on February 1, 2004 at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas to decide the National Football League champion following the 2003 regular season....
, and
XXXIXSuper Bowl XXXIX was an American football game played on February 6, 2005, at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, to decide the National Football League champion following the 2004 regular season...
), and the eighth (and as of the present time, the last team to date) to win consecutive Super Bowls. The Patriots, however, were defeated by the
New York GiantsThe New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in
Super Bowl XLIISuper Bowl XLII was an American football game on February 3, 2008 that featured the National Football Conference champion New York Giants and the American Football Conference champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League champion for the 2007 season...
, after winning the first 18 games of their
2007The 2007 New England Patriots season was the 38th season for the team in the National Football League and 48th season overall. They finished with a perfect 16–0 regular season record but lost to the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII....
season. Under
quarterbackQuarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Tom BradyThomas Edward Patrick "Tom" Brady, Jr. is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . After playing college football at Michigan, Brady was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.He has played in four Super Bowls,...
and head coach
Bill BelichickWilliam Stephen "Bill" Belichick is an American football head coach for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. After spending his first 15 seasons in the league as an assistant coach, Belichick got his first head coaching job with the Cleveland Browns in 1991...
, the Patriots have also compiled the longest
winning streakIn sports, a winning streak refers to a consecutive number of games won. A winning streak can be held by a team, as in baseball, football, basketball, hockey, or by an individual, as in tennis...
consisting of regular season
and playoff games in NFL history, a 21-game streak from October
2003The 2003 New England Patriots season was the 34th season for the team in the National Football League and 44th season overall. They finished with a league-best 14–2 record before advancing to and winning Super Bowl XXXVIII....
–October
2004The 2004 New England Patriots season was the 35th season for the team in the National Football League and 45th season overall. They finished with their second straight 14–2 record before advancing to and winning Super Bowl XXXIX, their third Super Bowl victory in four years.Following a Super Bowl...
.
Franchise history
On November 16, 1959, Boston business executive
Billy SullivanWilliam Hallissey "Billy" Sullivan, Jr. was an American businessman who owned the Boston Patriots franchise from their inception in the American Football League until their sale, as the New England Patriots of the NFL, to Victor Kiam in 1988.-Early life:Sullivan was born in Lowell, Massachusetts...
was awarded the eighth and final franchise of the developing
American Football LeagueThe American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
(AFL). The following winter, locals were allowed to submit ideas for the Boston football team's official name. The most popular choice—and the one that Sullivan selected—was "Boston Patriots". Immediately thereafter, Boston Globe artist Phil Bissell developed the "Pat Patriot" logo.
The Patriots' time in the AFL saw them struggle most years as they never had a regular home stadium.
Nickerson FieldNickerson Field is a stadium on the site of Braves Field, in Boston, Massachusetts, the former home of the National League Boston Braves baseball team which is now located in Atlanta...
,
Harvard StadiumHarvard Stadium is a horseshoe-shaped football stadium in the Allston neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, in the United States. Built in 1903, the stadium seats 30,323. The stadium seated up to 57,166 in the past, as permanent steel stands were installed in the north end of the stadium in 1929...
,
Fenway ParkFenway Park is a baseball park near Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts. Located at 4 Yawkey Way, it has served as the home ballpark of the Boston Red Sox baseball club since it opened in 1912, and is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium currently in use. It is one of two "classic"...
, and
Alumni StadiumAlumni Stadium is a football stadium located on the campus of Boston College in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, approximately sixmiles west of downtown Boston. The stadium lies within the city limits of Boston, although its postal address is Chestnut Hill. It is the home of the Boston College Eagles...
all served as home fields during their time in the American Football League. They did play in one
AFL championship gameFrom 1960 to 1968, the American Football League determined its champion via a single playoff game between the winners of its two divisions ....
, following the 1963 season. They lost to the
San Diego ChargersThe San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
51–10. They would not appear again in an AFL or NFL
post-seasonThe National Football League playoffs are a single-elimination tournament held at the end of the regular season to determine the NFL champion. Six teams from each of the league's two conferences qualify for the playoffs based on regular season records, and a tie-breaking procedure exists in the...
game for another 13 years.
When the NFL and AFL
merged in 1970The AFL–NFL merger of 1970 was the merger of the two major professional American football leagues in the United States at the time: the National Football League and the American Football League...
, the Patriots were placed in the AFC East division, where they still play today. The following year, the Patriots moved to a
new stadiumFoxboro Stadium was an outdoor stadium, located in Foxborough, Massachusetts...
in
Foxborough, Massachusetts-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 16,246 people, 6,141 households, and 4,396 families residing in the town. The population density was 809.1 people per square mile . There were 6,299 housing units at an average density of 313.7 per square mile...
, which would serve as their home for 30 years. As a result of the move, they announced they would change their name from the Boston Patriots to the Bay State Patriots. The name was rejected by the NFL and on March 23, 1971, the team officially announced they would become the New England Patriots.
During the 1970s, the Patriots had some success, earning a berth to the playoffs in 1976—as a
wild cardThe term wild card refers broadly to a tournament or playoff berth awarded to an individual or team that has not qualified through normal play.-International sports:...
-team—and in 1978—as AFC East champions. They lost in the first round both times. In 1985, they returned to the playoffs, and made it all the way to
Super Bowl XXSuper Bowl XX was an American football championship game played on January 26, 1986 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1985 regular season...
, which they lost to the
Chicago BearsThe Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
46–10. Following their Super Bowl loss, they returned to the playoffs in 1986, but lost in the first round. The team would not make the playoffs again for eight more years. During the 1990 season, the Patriots went 1-15. They changed ownership three times, being purchased from the Sullivan family first by
Victor KiamVictor K. Kiam was an American entrepreneur and the owner of the New England Patriots football team from 1988-1991....
in 1988, who sold the team to
James OrthweinJames Busch Orthwein was an American advertising executive and great-grandson of Anheuser-Busch founder Adolphus Busch. Orthwein owned the New England Patriots from 1992-1993.-Life and career:...
in 1992. Orthwein intended to move the team to his native
St. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, but sold the team two years later to current owner
Robert KraftRobert K. Kraft is an American business magnate. He is the Chairman and was the Chief Executive Officer of The Kraft Group, a diversified holding company with assets in paper and packaging, sports and entertainment, real estate development and a private equity portfolio...
in 1994.
Though Orthwein's period as owner was short and controversial, he did oversee major changes to the team, first with the hiring of former
New York GiantsThe New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
coach
Bill ParcellsDuane Charles "Bill" Parcells is a former American football head coach, most recently with the Dallas Cowboys from 2003 to 2006...
in 1993. Also a change was made that same year to the Patriots uniforms, changing their primary colors from their traditional red and white to blue and silver, and introducing a new logo. Parcells would bring the Patriots to two playoff appearances, including
Super Bowl XXXISuper Bowl XXXI was an American football game played on January 26, 1997, at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1996 regular season. The National Football Conference champion Green Bay Packers defeated the American...
, which they lost to the
Green Bay PackersThe 1996 Green Bay Packers season was the team's 76th in the National Football League, which culminated with the franchise winning its third Super Bowl and league-record 12th NFL World Championship . The Packers posted a league-best 13-3 regular season won-loss record, going 8-0 at home and 5-3 on...
by a score of 35–21.
Pete CarrollPeter Clay Carroll is the head coach and executive Vice-President of the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. He is a former head coach of the New York Jets, New England Patriots and the University of Southern California Trojans football team.-Early life:Carroll attended Redwood High...
, Parcells's successor, would also take the team to the playoffs twice in 1997 & 1998 before being dismissed as head coach after the 1999 season.
The Patriots' current coach
Bill BelichickWilliam Stephen "Bill" Belichick is an American football head coach for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. After spending his first 15 seasons in the league as an assistant coach, Belichick got his first head coaching job with the Cleveland Browns in 1991...
was hired in 2000, and a new home field,
Gillette StadiumGillette Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in Foxborough, Massachusetts, 21 miles southwest of downtown Boston and from downtown Providence, Rhode Island. It serves as the home stadium and administrative offices for the New England Patriots football team and the New England Revolution...
was opened in
2002The 2002 NFL season was the 83rd regular season of the National Football League.The league went back to an even number of teams, expanding to 32 teams with the addition of the Houston Texans. The clubs were then realigned into eight divisions, four teams in each...
. Under Belichick, the team won three Super Bowls in four years, and finished the
2007 regular seasonThe 2007 NFL season was the 88th regular season of the National Football League.Regular-season play was held from September 6 to December 30....
with a perfect 16–0 record, becoming only the fifth team in league history to go undefeated in the regular season, and the only one since the league expanded its
regular seasonThe National Football League regular season begins the weekend after Labor Day. Each team plays 16 games during a 17-week period. Traditionally, the majority of each week's games are played on Sunday afternoon, with weekly games on Sunday night and Monday night, and occasional games on Thursday...
schedule to 16 games. After advancing to
Super Bowl XLIISuper Bowl XLII was an American football game on February 3, 2008 that featured the National Football Conference champion New York Giants and the American Football Conference champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League champion for the 2007 season...
, the team's fourth Super Bowl in seven years, the Patriots were defeated by the
GiantsThe 2007 New York Giants season was the 83rd season for the New York Giants in the National Football League. The Giants finished the regular season 10–6 and in second place in the NFC East, improving upon their 8–8 record in 2006 in which they finished third in their division...
to end their bid for a 19–0 season. With the loss, the Patriots ended the year at 18–1, becoming only one of three teams to go 18–1 along with the
1984 San Francisco 49ersThe 1984 San Francisco 49ers season was their 39th season in the National Football League. The season was highlighted by their second Super Bowl victory. The franchise had their best season ever with a record of 15 wins and only 1 loss...
and the
1985 Chicago BearsThe 1985 Chicago Bears season was their 66th regular season and 16th post-season completed in the National Football League. The club posted a 15-1 record, earning them the top seed in the NFC for the playoffs. The Bears defeated their three post season opponents by a combined score of 91-10 en...
. Those teams, however, won the Super Bowl.
Season-by-season records
- This is a partial list of the last five seasons completed by the Patriots. For the full season-by-season franchise results, see List of New England Patriots seasons.
| Season |
Team |
League |
Conference |
Division |
Regular SeasonThe National Football League regular season begins the weekend after Labor Day. Each team plays 16 games during a 17-week period. Traditionally, the majority of each week's games are played on Sunday afternoon, with weekly games on Sunday night and Monday night, and occasional games on Thursday...
|
Post Season The National Football League playoffs are a single-elimination tournament held at the end of the regular season to determine the NFL champion. Six teams from each of the league's two conferences qualify for the playoffs based on regular season records, and a tie-breaking procedure exists in the...
Results |
Awards |
| Finish |
Won |
Lost |
Ties |
|
2006 The 2006 New England Patriots season was the 37th season for the team in the National Football League and 47th season overall. They finished with a 12–4 record and a division title before losing to the Indianapolis Colts in the playoffs....
|
NFL |
AFC |
East § |
1st § |
12 |
4 |
0 |
Won Wild Card Playoffs (Jets) 37–16
Won Divisional Playoffs (Chargers) 24–21
Lost Conference Championship (Colts) 38–34 |
| 2007 The 2007 NFL season was the 88th regular season of the National Football League.Regular-season play was held from September 6 to December 30....
|
2007The 2007 New England Patriots season was the 38th season for the team in the National Football League and 48th season overall. They finished with a perfect 16–0 regular season record but lost to the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII....
|
NFL |
AFC * |
East § |
1st § |
16 |
0 |
0 |
Won Divisional Playoffs The National Football League playoffs for the 2007 season began on January 5, 2008 and led up to Super Bowl XLII on February 3, 2008 at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.-NFC: Seattle Seahawks 35, Washington Redskins 14:...
(Jaguars) 31–20
Won Conference ChampionshipThe National Football League playoffs for the 2007 season began on January 5, 2008 and led up to Super Bowl XLII on February 3, 2008 at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.-NFC: Seattle Seahawks 35, Washington Redskins 14:...
(Chargers) 21–12
Lost Super Bowl XLIISuper Bowl XLII was an American football game on February 3, 2008 that featured the National Football Conference champion New York Giants and the American Football Conference champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League champion for the 2007 season...
(GiantsThe New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
) 17–14 |
Bill Belichick (NFL COY)
Tom Brady (NFL MVP)
Tom Brady (NFL Off. POTY) |
|
2008The 2008 New England Patriots season was the 39th season for the team in the National Football League and 49th season overall. Despite finishing the regular season with an 11–5 record, the Patriots did not qualify for the playoffs—becoming the first 11-win team since the expansion to a 12-team...
|
NFL |
AFC |
East |
2nd |
11 |
5 |
0 |
|
Jerod Mayo -2008 season:Mayo was drafted by the New England Patriots with the tenth overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft. He was signed on July 24, 2008, to a five-year contract worth $18.9 million, including $13.8 million in bonuses and guarantees...
(Def. ROY) |
|
2009The 2009 New England Patriots season was the 40th season for the team in the National Football League and 50th season overall. They finished with a 10–6 record and a division title before losing to the Baltimore Ravens in the playoffs....
|
NFL |
AFC |
East § |
1st § |
10 |
6 |
0 |
Lost Wild Card Playoffs The National Football League playoffs for the 2009 season began on January 9, 2010 and led up to Super Bowl XLIV on February 7, 2010 at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida...
(RavensThe Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
) 33–14
|
Tom Brady (CBPOY) |
|
2010 The 2010 New England Patriots season was the 41st season for the team in the National Football League and 51st season overall. The Patriots improved on their 10–6 record from 2009 by finishing with a league-best 14–2 record and clinching the top seed in the AFC, before losing to the New York Jets...
|
NFL |
AFC |
East § |
1st § |
14 |
2 |
0 |
Lost Divisional Playoffs The National Football League playoffs for the 2010 season began on January 8, 2011 and led up to Super Bowl XLV on February 6, 2011 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas....
(JetsThe New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
) 28–21 |
Bill Belichick (NFL COY)
Tom Brady (NFL MVP)
Tom Brady (NFL Off. POTY) |
| Total |
401 |
362 |
9 |
(1960–2010, includes only regular season) |
| 21 |
15 |
— |
(1960–2010, includes only playoffs) |
| 422 |
377 |
9 |
(1960–2010, includes both regular season and playoffs) |
Records
All-Time Patriots Leaders
| Leader |
Player |
Record Number |
Years on Patriots |
| Passing |
Tom BradyThomas Edward Patrick "Tom" Brady, Jr. is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . After playing college football at Michigan, Brady was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.He has played in four Super Bowls,...
|
36,907 passing yards |
2000–present |
| Rushing |
Sam Cunningham Samuel Lewis "Sam" Cunningham, Jr is a retired American football fullback. The media referred to him as Sam "Bam" Cunningham.-College career:...
|
5,453 rushing yards |
1973–1982 |
| Receiving |
Stanley Morgan Stanley Douglas Morgan is a former NFL wide receiver who played for the New England Patriots. Morgan was selected out of the University of Tennessee in the first round of the 1977 NFL Draft . He also played one season for the Indianapolis Colts in 1990...
|
10,352 receiving yards |
1977–1989 |
| Coaching Wins |
Bill BelichickWilliam Stephen "Bill" Belichick is an American football head coach for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. After spending his first 15 seasons in the league as an assistant coach, Belichick got his first head coaching job with the Cleveland Browns in 1991...
|
131 wins |
2000–present |
Rivalries
The Patriots have maintained a
rivalryA sports rivalry is intense competition between athletic teams or athletes. This pressure of competition is felt by players, coaches, and management, but is perhaps felt strongest by the fans. The intensity of the rivalry varies from a friendly competition on one end to serious violence on the...
with the
New York JetsThe New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, who have also been members of the
AFC EastThe American Football Conference – Eastern Division or AFC East is a division of the National Football League's American Football Conference. There are four members: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots , and New York Jets...
since its inception in 1970. Prior to that, both teams competed in the
American Football LeagueThe American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
since both teams' foundings in 1960. The rivalry between the Jets and Patriots has escalated since 1996, when Patriots head coach
Bill ParcellsDuane Charles "Bill" Parcells is a former American football head coach, most recently with the Dallas Cowboys from 2003 to 2006...
left the Patriots under controversy to become the head coach of the Jets. Four years later, Parcells' assistant,
Bill BelichickWilliam Stephen "Bill" Belichick is an American football head coach for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. After spending his first 15 seasons in the league as an assistant coach, Belichick got his first head coaching job with the Cleveland Browns in 1991...
, resigned the day he was named the Jets' head coach to become the head coach of the Patriots. Six years after that,
Eric ManginiEric Mangini is the former head coach of the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets of the National Football League and current NFL analyst for ESPN.-College:...
, an assistant under Belichick, became the head coach of the Jets.
Meanwhile, the rise of quarterbacks
Tom BradyThomas Edward Patrick "Tom" Brady, Jr. is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . After playing college football at Michigan, Brady was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.He has played in four Super Bowls,...
and
Peyton ManningPeyton Williams Manning is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . Manning holds the record for most NFL MVP awards with four. He was drafted by the Colts as the first overall pick in 1998 after a standout college football career with the...
in the early 2000s led to an increased rivalry between Manning's
Indianapolis ColtsThe Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
and Brady's Patriots. The teams met three times in four years (2003, 2004, 2006) in the playoffs, with the winner going on to win that season's
Super BowlThe Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
each time.
Strategy
Under head coach
Bill BelichickWilliam Stephen "Bill" Belichick is an American football head coach for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. After spending his first 15 seasons in the league as an assistant coach, Belichick got his first head coaching job with the Cleveland Browns in 1991...
, the Patriots have employed specific on-field and off-field strategies. On the field, the Patriots have typically utilized an "Erhardt-Perkins" offense and a "Fairbanks-Bullough" 3–4 defense, referred to commonly as a 2-gap 3–4 defensive system. Their philosophy in making personnel decisions and in game planning has focused on the "team" concept, stressing preparation, strong work ethic, versatility, and lack of individual ego. This approach, which led to three Super Bowl victories under Belichick, was analyzed in the 2004 book
Patriot ReignPatriot Reign is a best-selling book by Boston Globe/New York Times sports writer Michael Holley resulting from two years he was given unprecedented access to the inner sanctums of the world champion New England Patriots football operations as they worked to turn a good luck year into a legitimate...
.
When owner
Robert KraftRobert K. Kraft is an American business magnate. He is the Chairman and was the Chief Executive Officer of The Kraft Group, a diversified holding company with assets in paper and packaging, sports and entertainment, real estate development and a private equity portfolio...
purchased the team in 1994, he did so for $175 million. Since then, the Patriots have sold out every home game in both
Foxboro StadiumFoxboro Stadium was an outdoor stadium, located in Foxborough, Massachusetts...
and
Gillette StadiumGillette Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in Foxborough, Massachusetts, 21 miles southwest of downtown Boston and from downtown Providence, Rhode Island. It serves as the home stadium and administrative offices for the New England Patriots football team and the New England Revolution...
. By 2009, the value of the franchise had increased by over $1 billion, to a Forbes Magazine estimated value of $1.361 billion, third highest in the NFL.
Stadium
Since 2002, the Patriots' home stadium has been
Gillette StadiumGillette Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in Foxborough, Massachusetts, 21 miles southwest of downtown Boston and from downtown Providence, Rhode Island. It serves as the home stadium and administrative offices for the New England Patriots football team and the New England Revolution...
, a $350 million facility privately financed by Kraft. It houses all administrative offices for the team and its owning entity,
The Kraft GroupThe Kraft Group, LLC is a group of privately held companies in the professional sports, manufacturing, and real-estate development industries doing business in 82 countries...
, as well as the Kraft-owned
Major League SoccerMajor League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
team, the
New England RevolutionThe New England Revolution is an American professional association football club based in Foxborough, Massachusetts which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
. The field, which was originally natural grass, was replaced with a
FieldTurfFieldTurf is a brand of artificial turf playing surface. It is manufactured and installed by the FieldTurf Tarkett division of Tarkett Inc., based in Calhoun, Georgia, USA. In the late 1990s, the artificial surface changed the industry with a design intended to replicate real grass...
surface during the 2006 season. The area around the stadium was developed, beginning in 2007, into a $375 million "lifestyle and entertainment center" called
Patriot PlacePatriot Place is an open-air shopping center located in Foxborough, Massachusetts built around Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots and New England Revolution. Phase 1 opened in fall 2007, which included the construction of a small strip mall containing Bass Pro Shops, Staples,...
.
Prior to 2002, the Patriots played in
Foxboro StadiumFoxboro Stadium was an outdoor stadium, located in Foxborough, Massachusetts...
dating back to 1971, the team's second year in the NFL after the AFL-NFL merger. During the team's days in the
American Football LeagueThe American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
, the
Boston Patriots were hosted by a number of fields in or around Boston.
Hall of Famers and retired numbers
The New England Patriots feature 17 former players and one contributor in their team hall of fame, established in 1991. A committee of media and staff selected 11 players for enshrinement between 1991 and 2001, before a six-year span of no selections. In 2007, in advance of the 2008 opening of the Hall at
Patriot PlacePatriot Place is an open-air shopping center located in Foxborough, Massachusetts built around Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots and New England Revolution. Phase 1 opened in fall 2007, which included the construction of a small strip mall containing Bass Pro Shops, Staples,...
, the Patriots introduced a new nomination committee to select three candidates, with the winner of an internet fan vote being enshrined in the hall of fame. In order to be eligible, players and coaches must be retired for at least four years. Beginning in 2011 and meeting every five years, a senior selection committee has the option of voting a player who has been retired for at least 25 seasons into the hall of fame.
Former owner Billy Sullivan was inducted by owner
Robert KraftRobert K. Kraft is an American business magnate. He is the Chairman and was the Chief Executive Officer of The Kraft Group, a diversified holding company with assets in paper and packaging, sports and entertainment, real estate development and a private equity portfolio...
in March 2009, the Patriots' 50th season, as a contributor.
Additionally, four former Patriots players have been enshrined in the
Pro Football Hall of FameThe Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
. The Patriots have officially retired seven uniform numbers.
| New England Patriots Hall of Fame |
| Players |
| Number |
Name |
Positions |
Seasons |
Year elected |
Number |
Name |
Positions |
Seasons |
Year elected |
| 73 |
John Hannah |
GIn American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
|
1973–1985 |
1991 (Pro: 1991) |
56 |
Andre TippettAndre Bernard Tippett is a former American football linebacker who played for the New England Patriots of the NFL. Currently, he is the Patriots' Executive Director of Community Affairs. He was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008.-Personal life:Tippett was born in Birmingham,...
|
LBA linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
|
1982–1993 |
1999 (Pro: 2008) |
| 85 |
Nick Buoniconti Nicholas Anthony Buoniconti is a former American Football League and NFL Hall of Fame middle linebacker, who played for the Boston Patriots and Miami Dolphins....
|
LBA linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
|
1962–1968 |
1992 (Pro: 2001) |
78 |
Bruce Armstrong Bruce Charles Armstrong is a former offensive tackle in the National Football League from 1987 to 2000, playing all fourteen seasons with the New England Patriots...
|
T |
1987–2000 |
2001 |
| 20 |
Gino Cappelletti Gino Cappelletti is a former American collegiate and Professional Football player. He played at the University of Minnesota, and was a star in the American Football League for the Boston Patriots...
|
WR A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
-K |
1960–1970 |
1992 |
86 |
Stanley Morgan Stanley Douglas Morgan is a former NFL wide receiver who played for the New England Patriots. Morgan was selected out of the University of Tennessee in the first round of the 1977 NFL Draft . He also played one season for the Indianapolis Colts in 1990...
|
WR A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
|
1977–1989 |
2007 |
| 89 |
Bob Dee Robert Henry Dee was an American football defensive end in the National Football League and the American Football League...
|
DL |
1960–1967 |
1993 |
87 |
Ben Coates Ben Terrence Coates is a former American football tight end in the National Football League and former CIAA football coach and former NFL tight ends coach. Coates didn't play football until his senior year of high school, and was a multi-sport player at Livingstone College located in Salisbury,...
|
TEThe tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
|
1991–1999 |
2008 |
| 79 |
Jim Lee Hunt Jim Lee "Earthquake" Hunt was an American college and professional football player from Prairie View A&M University who played defensive tackle for the American Football League's Boston Patriots from 1960 through 1969, and for the NFL' Boston Patriots in 1970. He was a four-time AFL All-Star, and...
|
DL |
1960–1971 |
1993 |
35 |
Jim Nance James Solomon "Big Jim" Nance was an American collegiate and Professional Football fullback with the Boston Patriots during their days in the American Football League...
|
FBA fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
|
1965–1971 |
2009 |
| 57 |
Steve Nelson |
LBA linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
|
1974–1987 |
1993 |
39 |
Sam Cunningham Samuel Lewis "Sam" Cunningham, Jr is a retired American football fullback. The media referred to him as Sam "Bam" Cunningham.-College career:...
|
RB A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
|
1973–1982 |
2010 |
| 15 |
Babe Parilli -Biography:Parilli was born in the Pittsburgh industrial suburb of Rochester, Pennsylvania. He attended the University of Kentucky as an All-American starting quarterback for the Wildcats under Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant....
|
QBQuarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
|
1961–1967 |
1993 |
56 |
Jon Morris Jon Morris is a former American college and professional football player. At Gonzaga College High School in Washington, DC, he was a three-sport athlete in football, basketball and baseball. After Gonzaga he played center and linebacker for three seasons at the College of the Holy Cross...
|
C Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...
|
1964–1974 |
2011 |
| 40 |
Mike Haynes |
CB A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
|
1976–1982 |
1994 (Pro: 1997) |
11 |
Drew BledsoeDrew McQueen Bledsoe is a former football quarterback in the National Football League, best known as the starting quarterback for the New England Patriots from 1993-2001. During the 1990s, he was considered the face of the Patriots franchise...
|
QBQuarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
|
1993–2001 |
2011 |
| 14 |
Steve Grogan Steve James Grogan is a former American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. Grogan played for the Patriots for his entire NFL career, from 1975 to 1990.-High school and college:...
|
QBQuarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
|
1975–1990 |
1995 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Contributors |
| Number |
Name |
Positions |
Seasons |
Year elected |
Number |
Name |
Positions |
Seasons |
Year elected |
| – |
Billy Sullivan William Hallissey "Billy" Sullivan, Jr. was an American businessman who owned the Boston Patriots franchise from their inception in the American Football League until their sale, as the New England Patriots of the NFL, to Victor Kiam in 1988.-Early life:Sullivan was born in Lowell, Massachusetts...
|
Owner & founder |
1960–1988 |
2009 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Also enshrined in Pro Football Hall of Fame |
| Uniform number officially retired by team |
1960s (AFL)
In November 1971, fans voted on a 10-year Patriots anniversary team, which coincided with the team's 10 years in the then-defunct American Football League: Additional selections for returner, special teamer, and coach were added in 2009:
1970s, 1980s, 1990s
In March 2009, as part of the Patriots' 50th anniversary, a group of local media and other team figures selected all-decade teams for the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s:
2000s
On March 16, 2010, the Patriots Hall of Fame selection committee selected an all-decade team for the 2000s:
35th anniversary (1994)
In 1994, a group of local media selected a 35th anniversary team:
50th anniversary (2009)
In 2009, the Patriots Hall of Fame selection committee selected a 50th anniversary team:
Cheerleaders and mascot
The Patriots NFL Cheerleaders are simply known as The Patriots Cheerleaders. In 2005, cheerleader Kristin Gauvin won
Miss MassachusettsFor the state pageant affiliated with Miss USA, see Miss Massachusetts USAThe Miss Massachusetts competition is a scholarship pageant put on annually by the Miss Massachusetts Scholarship Foundation, Inc...
, in part from her local commitment with the Patriots.
The Patriots'
mascotThe term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
is
Pat PatriotPat Patriot is the mascot of the New England Patriots, a National Football League franchise. He appears to be a revolutionary minuteman. The logo version of Pat wears a tricorner hat and a Continental Army uniform. This was the Patriots' official insignia until 1993, when it was replaced by the...
, a
revolutionaryThe American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
minuteman wearing a Patriots home jersey.
During each game, about 10 men dressed as minutemen line the back of each end zone. When the Patriots score a
touchdownA touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
,
field goalA field goal in American football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play . Field goals may be scored by a placekick or the now practically extinct drop kick.The drop kick fell out of favor in 1934 when the shape of the ball was changed...
or
point-after-touchdownExtra Point is a twice-daily, two-minute segment on ESPN Radio that covers generic sports-related topical news and opinion. The AM edition airs Monday through Saturday at various times between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. ET, and the PM edition airs Monday through Friday between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. ET...
, the militia behind the opposite end zone fire a round of
blanksA blank is a type of cartridge for a firearm that contains gunpowder but no bullet or shot. When fired, the blank makes a flash and an explosive sound . Blanks are often used for simulation , training, and for signaling...
from
flintlock musketsFlintlock is the general term for any firearm based on the flintlock mechanism. The term may also apply to the mechanism itself. Introduced at the beginning of the 17th century, the flintlock rapidly replaced earlier firearm-ignition technologies, such as the doglock, matchlock and wheellock...
. ESPN writer
Josh PahigianJosh Pahigian is an American author who specializes in books and articles about baseball. He is particularly well known as an expert in the field of sports travel, writing books on this topic, as well as articles that appear on the espn.com Sports Travel page...
named this one of the top ten celebrations in the league in 2007.
Radio and television
The Patriots' flagship radio station is
WBZ-FMWBZ-FM is a sports radio station known as "98.5 The Sports Hub" and broadcasting on 98.5 MHz in Boston, Massachusetts. Owned by CBS Radio, the current WBZ-FM began on August 13, 2009 and competes with AM sports talk stations WEEI and competed with the ESPN Radio pair of WAMG and WLLH before their...
98.5 FM, owned by
CBS RadioCBS Radio, Inc., formerly known as Infinity Broadcasting Corporation, is one of the largest owners and operators of radio stations in the United States, third behind main rival Clear Channel Communications and Cumulus Media. CBS Radio owns around 130 radio stations across the country...
. The larger radio network is called the New England Patriots Radio Network, whose 37 affiliate stations span 7 states.
Gil SantosGil Santos is the longtime radio play-by-play announcer for the New England Patriots of the National Football League, and morning sports reporter for WBZ radio in Boston. He retired from WBZ on January 30, 2009. Santos was inducted into the WBZ Radio Hall of Fame on July 9, 2009...
and
Gino CappellettiGino Cappelletti is a former American collegiate and Professional Football player. He played at the University of Minnesota, and was a star in the American Football League for the Boston Patriots...
are the longtime announcing team.
Any preseason games not on national television are shown on
CBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
affiliate
WBZ-TVWBZ-TV, virtual channel 4, is a CBS owned-and-operated television station, located in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. WBZ-TV's studios and office facilities, shared with sister station WSBK-TV , are located in the Allston-Brighton section of Boston, and its transmitter is located in Needham,...
. These games were broadcast on
ABCThe American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
affiliate
WCVB-TVWCVB-TV, channel 5, is a television station located in Boston, Massachusetts, owned by Hearst Television and affiliated with the ABC Television Network. WCVB-TV's studios and transmitter are co-located in Needham, Massachusetts. WCVB is also one of six Boston television stations seen in Canada by...
from 1995 until the change to WBZ in 2009.
Don CriquiDon Criqui is an American sportscaster, currently employed as a play-by-play announcer for CBS Sports. Criqui's duties include occasional television coverage of National Football League games, women's and men's college basketball, occasional college football and radio play-by-play of ISP Sports'...
has been the play-by-play announcer the last several years, with
Randy CrossRandall "Randy" Laureat Cross , is a football analyst and former NFL offensive lineman. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in July 2011.-High school years:...
as a
color commentatorA color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
and
Mike LynchMike Lynch is the sports director and anchor for WCVB-TV Channel 5 in Boston, Massachusetts. He is seen on the air at 6 and 11 PM from Sunday to Thursday, or when a significant sports event is happening. He has been at WCVB since 1982...
as a
sideline reporterA sideline reporter, also known as a field reporter, courtside reporter , clubhouse reporter or dugout reporter , rinkside reporter or inside-the-glass reporter , on-court reporter , hole reporter , or boundary rider , is a member of the...
. Lynch was replaced by WBZ reporter
Steve BurtonSteve Burton is a television sports reporter for WBZ-TV and WSBK-TV in Boston. The son of former New England Patriots player Ron Burton, Steve Burton grew up in Framingham, Massachusetts and is a graduate of Northwestern University holding a bachelor of science degree in Communications and a...
in 2009.
External links