New England Patriots

Template:Short description Template:Pp-vandalism Template:Pp-move Template:Good article Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox NFL team The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. The Patriots compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The Patriots play home games at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, which is Template:Convert<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> southwest of Boston, Massachusetts. The franchise is owned by Robert Kraft, who purchased the team in 1994.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> As of 2024, the Patriots are the sixth-most valuable sports team in the world<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and have sold out every home game since 1994.<ref name="PatsHistory1990s" />

Founded in 1959 as the Boston Patriots, the team was a charter member of the American Football League (AFL) before joining the NFL in 1970 through the AFL–NFL merger. The Patriots played their home games at various stadiums throughout Boston, including Fenway Park from 1963 to 1969<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> until the franchise moved to Foxborough in 1971. As part of the move, the team changed its name to the New England Patriots. Home games were played at Foxboro Stadium until 2002 when the stadium was demolished alongside the opening of Gillette Stadium. The team began using Gillette Stadium for home games the same year.

Generally mediocre until coming under the ownership of Robert Kraft, the Patriots experienced unexpected success in the 2001 season under head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady, which started a period of dominance which lasted until the 2019 season.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="McManaman">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Brady–Belichick era, regarded as one of the greatest sports dynasties, would see the Patriots claim nearly every major Super Bowl record.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="p551">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="McManaman" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Patriots hold the records for most Super Bowl wins (6, tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers), appearances (11), and losses (5, tied with the Denver Broncos). Other NFL records held by the franchise include the most wins in a 10-year period (126 from 2003 to 2012), the longest winning streak of regular season and playoff games (21 from October 2003 to October 2004), the most consecutive winning seasons (19 from 2001 to 2019), the most consecutive conference championship appearances (8 from 2011 to 2018), the most consecutive division titles (11 from 2009 to 2019), the only undefeated 16-game regular season (2007), and the highest postseason winning percentage (.638).

History

AFL years (1959–1970)

File:Billy Sullivan (American football) 1985.jpg

Billy Sullivan, a Massachusetts native, brought professional football back to the state after nearly 11 years.

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The Patriots are named after the colonists who rebelled against British control during the Revolutionary War (Image: Minute Man statue in Concord, Massachusetts).

On November 16, 1959, Boston business executive Billy Sullivan was awarded the eighth and final franchise of the developing American Football League (AFL).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The following winter, locals were allowed to submit ideas for the Boston football team's official name.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The most popular choice – and the one that Sullivan selected – was the "Boston Patriots",<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> with "Patriots" referring to the colonists of the Thirteen Colonies who rebelled against British control during the American Revolution and in July 1776 declared the United States of America an independent nation, which heavily involved the then–colony of Massachusetts. Immediately thereafter, artist Phil Bissell of The Boston Globe developed the "Pat Patriot" logo.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The Patriots never had a regular home stadium in the AFL; home games were played at various times at Boston University Field, Harvard Stadium, Fenway Park (shared with baseball's Boston Red Sox), and Boston College's Alumni Stadium. The 1963 season saw the franchise's first playoff win over Buffalo to clinch the division. They subsequently lost the AFL championship game to the San Diego Chargers 51–10. They did not appear again in an AFL or NFL post-season game for another 13 years.<ref name="PatsHistory1970s">Template:Cite web</ref>

Post-merger years (1970–2000)

When the NFL and AFL merged in 1970, the Patriots were placed in the American Football Conference (AFC) East division, where they still play.<ref name="PatsHistory1970s" /> The following year, the Patriots moved to a new stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, their home for the next 30 years. They announced a new name, the Bay State Patriots, after the state of Massachusetts,<ref name="PatsTrivia">Template:Cite news</ref> but the NFL rejected it; on March 22, 1971, the team said they would change its geographic name to New England.<ref name="PatsHistory1970s" />

During the 1970s, the Patriots had some success under head coach Chuck Fairbanks, earning a berth in the playoffs in 1976 – as a wild card team – and in 1978 – as AFC East champions. They lost in the first round both times.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The next coach, Ron Meyer, led the team to the playoffs in the strike-shortened 1982 season.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> That season, during a December 12, 1982, home game against the Miami Dolphins under icy conditions, the game remained scoreless until the fourth quarter when Meyer motioned to snowplow operator Mark Henderson to specifically clear a spot on the field for New England kicker John Smith so he could kick what proved to be the game-winning 33-yard field goal to give the Patriots a 3–0 win.<ref name="w244">Template:Cite web</ref> At the time, an emergency ground rule was put into play where the officials could call time-out and allow the ground crew to use a snowplow to clear the yard markers, but not plow often enough to keep the field clear. Dolphins head coach Don Shula, believing it to be against the league rules, pointed out that the league's unfair act clause allowed the league to overturn it, and met with NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle several days later to formally protest the game result. Although Rozelle agreed with Shula that the use of the plow gave the Patriots an unfair advantage, he said that he had never reversed the result of a game and was not going to start doing so for any reason, including cheating.<ref>"NFL Top 10: Bad Weather Games", produced by NFL Network</ref> Henderson, a convict on work release, jokingly remarked, "What are they gonna do, throw me in jail?"<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The following year, the NFL banned the use of snowplows on the field during a game.<ref name="n447">Template:Cite web</ref> The Patriots organization has commemorated the game with an exhibit at the Hall at Patriot Place within Gillette Stadium, where the plow itself hangs from the ceiling.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Meyer never had a losing record but was fired in 1984 due to poor relationships with players and management.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> He was replaced by Hall-of-Fame player Raymond Berry, who in 1985 led the team to its first AFC Championship and a berth in Super Bowl XX, which they lost to the Chicago Bears 46–10.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Berry left the team after a disappointing 1989 season,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and his replacement Rod Rust only lasted one season, 1990, during which the Patriots went 1–15.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Ownership turmoil

During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Patriots changed ownership several times, being purchased from the Sullivan family first by Victor Kiam in 1988, who sold the team to James Orthwein in 1992. 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 Giants coach Bill Parcells in 1993. Orthwein and his marketing team then defied Patriots fans' overwhelming preference and commissioned the NFL to develop a new visual identity and logo, and changed their primary colors from the traditional red, white and blue to blue and silver for the team uniforms.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Orthwein intended to move the team to his native St. Louis (where it would have been renamed as the St. Louis Stallions), but instead sold the team in 1994 for $175Template:Nbspmillion to Boston paper magnate Robert Kraft, who had bought the Patriots' then-home, Foxboro Stadium, out of bankruptcy in 1988.<ref name="PatsHistory1990s">Template:Cite web</ref>

Continuing on as head coach under Kraft's ownership, Parcells would bring the Patriots to two playoff appearances, including Super Bowl XXXI (after the 1996 season), which they lost to the Green Bay Packers by a score of 35–21.<ref name="f393">Template:Cite web</ref> Pete Carroll, Parcells's successor, would also take the team to the playoffs twice in 1997 and 1998 before being dismissed as head coach after the 1999 season.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="c151">Template:Cite web</ref>

Brady–Belichick era (2000–2019)

File:Tom Brady and Bill Belichick.jpg

From 2001 to 2019, quarterback Tom Brady and head coach Bill Belichick led the Patriots to nine Super Bowl appearances, winning six.

File:Rob Gronkowski.JPG

Tight end Rob Gronkowski, nicknamed "Gronk".

In 2000, the Patriots hired head coach Bill Belichick, who had served as defensive coordinator under Parcells including during Super Bowl XXXI.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Their new home field, Gillette Stadium, opened in 2002 to replace the aging Foxboro Stadium. Long-time starting quarterback Drew Bledsoe, who was the franchise's star throughout the 1990s, went down with a sheared blood vessel in his chest in a week two match-up in 2001 against the rival New York Jets. Backup quarterback Tom Brady, drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL draft, became the starting quarterback. Brady's successful play led to Bledsoe never getting his job back as a starter, and would serve as the franchise's starting quarterback for the next 18 years.<ref name="t738">Template:Cite web</ref> Under Belichick and Brady, the Patriots became one of the most consistently dominant teams in the NFL, with many describing the team as a "dynasty". Within the first few seasons of the 21st century, the team won three Super Bowls in four seasons (2001, 2003, and 2004), over the St. Louis Rams, Carolina Panthers, and Philadelphia Eagles, respectively.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2005 season, the Patriots went 10–6 and won the division.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Patriots defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars in the Wild Card Round before falling to the Denver Broncos in the Divisional Round.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2006 season, the Patriots went 12–4 and won the division.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> After defeating the Jets and the Chargers, the Patriots lost in the AFC Championship to the Colts.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Almost perfect season

The Patriots finished the 2007 regular season with a perfect 16–0 record, becoming only the fourth team in league history to go undefeated in the regular season, and the only one since the league expanded its regular season schedule to 16 games.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> After advancing to Super Bowl XLII, the team's fourth Super Bowl in seven years, the Patriots were upset by the Giants to end their bid for a 19–0 season.<ref name="j189">Template:Cite web</ref> 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 49ers and the 1985 Chicago Bears. However, both the Bears and 49ers lost their only game during the regular season, and both would win their respective Super Bowl.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> During the season, the Patriots were disciplined by the league for videotaping New York Jets' defensive coaches' signals from an unauthorized location during a September 9, 2007, game.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Videotaping opposing coaches is not illegal in the NFL de jure, but there are designated areas allowed by the league to do such taping. After an investigation, the NFL fined Patriots head coach Bill Belichick $500,000 for his role in the incident, fined the Patriots $250,000, and docked the team their original first-round selection in the 2008 NFL draft, which would have been the 31st pick of the draft.<ref name="Ruling">Template:Cite news</ref>

Postseason losses

In the first game of the 2008 season, Brady suffered a torn ACL against the Chiefs.<ref name="p267">Template:Cite web</ref> Matt Cassell stepped in for the rest of the season and the team finished 11–5 but missed the postseason.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2009 season, Brady returned from his injury and led the team to a 10–6 record and a division title.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The team's season ended in the Wild Card Round with a 33–14 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.<ref name="u671">Template:Cite web</ref> The Patriots went 14–2 and won the division in the 2010 season but were one-and-done in the Divisional Round of the playoffs against the New York Jets in a 28–21 loss.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="f004">Template:Cite web</ref>

The Patriots returned to the Super Bowl in 2011 but lost again to the Giants, 21–17.<ref name="c088">Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2012 season, the Patriots won the AFC East with a 12–4 record.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The team defeated the Houston Texans in the Divisional Round before falling to the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2013 season, the Patriots went 12–4 and won the division.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Patriots defeated the Indianapolis Colts 43–22 in the Divisional Round before falling to the Denver Broncos 26–16 in the AFC Championship.<ref name="n728">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="d809">Template:Cite web</ref>

Return to glory

In 2014, the Patriots won the division with a 12–4 record.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Patriots defeated the Baltimore Ravens in the Divisional Round and the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship.<ref name="o337">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="s663">Template:Cite web</ref> During the 2015 AFC Championship Game against the Indianapolis Colts, allegations arose that the Patriots were using under-inflated footballs. It was even suggested that the Patriots' staff themselves deliberately deflated the footballs to give their team an unfair advantage during the playoffs. The event was known as Deflategate.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> A lengthy investigation and heated debate commenced shortly afterwards, with a full report being published in May 2015.<ref name="CNN1">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Wells report">Template:Cite web</ref> The Wells Report found that balls provided by the Patriots, who were the home team, indeed had less pressure on average than the balls provided by the Colts. Also notable was the findings of some suggestions of communication between Tom Brady and two Patriots locker room attendants, indicating Brady was likely "generally aware" of the situation and that the Patriots staff intentionally deflated the footballs.<ref name = "Wells report" /> A later study by the American Enterprise Institute called the evidence and methodology of the Wells report "deeply flawed" and "unreliable".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In the aftermath of the incident, the NFL suspended Brady without pay for the first four games of the 2015 season, fined the Patriots $1Template:Nbspmillion, and forced them to forfeit their 2016 first round draft pick and 2017 fourth round draft pick.<ref name="t071">Template:Cite web</ref> Brady appealed his suspension, which was eventually vacated by the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, only for the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit to reinstate it a year later for the 2016 NFL season.<ref name="espn.go.com">Template:Cite web</ref> Brady eventually agreed to serve the suspension in 2016, but led the Patriots to win Super Bowl LI in spite of it.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="f827">Template:Cite web</ref>

Despite the controversy, the Patriots reached a record-tying eighth Super Bowl, where they defeated the defending champion Seattle Seahawks by a score of 28–24 to win Super Bowl XLIX for their fourth title.<ref name="a259">Template:Cite web</ref> After Seattle had driven the ball to New England's 1-yard line with under a minute to go, New England rookie cornerback Malcolm Butler made a critical interception on Seattle's final offensive play that helped to seal the victory.<ref name="p606">Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2015 season, the Patriots won the division with a 12–4 record.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The team defeated the Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional Round before falling to the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship.<ref name="d452">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="i240">Template:Cite web</ref>

File:Tom Brady with Vince Lombardi trophy.jpg

Tom Brady is seen celebrating the team's dramatic comeback victory over the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI

New England became the first team to reach nine Super Bowls in the 2016–17 playoffs and faced the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Trailing 28–3 midway through the third quarter, the Patriots scored 25 unanswered points to tie the game in the final seconds of regulation. In the first overtime in Super Bowl history, the Patriots won the coin toss and scored a touchdown to claim their fifth Super Bowl victory.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Patriots extended their record to ten Super Bowl appearances in the 2017–18 playoffs but lost to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LII.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite magazine</ref> The Patriots returned to the championship game for a third consecutive season in Super Bowl LIII, where they defeated the Los Angeles Rams 13–3 to win their sixth Super Bowl, tying them with the Pittsburgh Steelers for most Super Bowl victories in NFL history.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Post-Brady era (2019–present)

After a disappointing 2019 season, in which the team lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Tennessee Titans,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and in which the long-time Brady–Belichick partnership was strained due to Brady wanting to have more input in organizational decisions,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Brady departed the Patriots after 20 seasons for free agency, signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> To replace him, the Patriots signed veteran quarterback Cam Newton.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2020, the team missed the playoffs with their first losing record, 7–9, in two decades.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The team drafted Mac Jones in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft, and released Newton after naming Jones the starting quarterback before the team's first game of the 2021 season.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Jones led the team to their first playoff berth without Brady since 1998, but they would lose 47–17 to the division rival Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card round.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Patriots finished with an 8–9 record and missed the postseason in the 2022 season.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

After a gloomy 4–13 record in the 2023 season, the Patriots mutually parted ways with Bill Belichick after 24 years on January 11, 2024, notably due to a series of poor decisions in his final years as general manager regarding offensive personnel, which culminated in a sharp decline of offensive production after the 2021 season.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> One day later, the Patriots promoted the pair of Jerod Mayo, then-current linebackers coach and former player, and Eliot Wolf, director of scouting and son of Pro Football Hall of Fame general manager Ron Wolf, as first-time head coach and first-time de facto general manager to each succeed Belichick's duties.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Mac Jones, after three seasons as the incumbent starter, was traded in the 2024 offseason due to his insufficient play.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The post-Belichick era was kickstarted during the 2024 NFL draft, with the franchise selecting Drake Maye third overall, the highest draft pick held by the Patriots in 31 years up to that point.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On the day of the final game of the 2024 season, the Patriots fired Jerod Mayo after repeating the prior year's 4–13 record in his debut campaign as a head coach, due to multiple factors, including limited experience, which was eventually described by Robert Kraft as being put in an "untenable situation".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Mike Vrabel was named head coach after Mayo's dismissal.<ref name="q336">Template:Cite web</ref>

Logos and uniforms

Primary logos

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The Patriots' helmet since 2000 (displayed at the Pro Football Hall of Fame)

The Patriots original helmet logo was a simple tricorne hat, used only for the 1960 season. From 1961 to 1992, the Patriots used a logo of a Revolutionary War minuteman hiking a football. The Patriots wordmark logo during this time consisted of a western-style font. The minuteman logo became known as the "Pat Patriot" logo, which later became the name of the team's mascot.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="NESN"/>

In 1979, the Patriots worked with NFL Properties to design a new, streamlined logo, to replace the complex Pat Patriot logo. The new logo featured the blue and white profile of a minuteman in a tricorne hat set against a flag showing three red stripes separated by two white stripes. Team owner Billy Sullivan decided to put the new logo up to a vote against Pat Patriot with the fans at the September 23 home game against the San Diego Chargers, using a sound level meter to judge the crowd's reaction. The new logo was decidedly rejected by the crowd in favor of Pat, and the concept was shelved.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 1993, a new logo was unveiled involving the gray face of a minuteman wearing a red, white and royal blue hat that begins as a tricorne and transitions into a flowing banner-like design. It became popularly known as the "Flying Elvis" due to many observing its resemblance to the profile of a young Elvis Presley. A new script logo was introduced as well in tandem with the "Flying Elvis", utilizing a cursive font.<ref name="NESN">Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2000, the blue color used on the tricorne of the "Flying Elvis" as well as the outline of the cursive wordmark was switched from royal blue to nautical blue to coincide with the uniform change in the new millennium.<ref name="NESN"/>

On July 3, 2013, the Patriots unveiled a new wordmark to accompany the "Flying Elvis", which replaced the script of their previous cursive typeface with modernized block letters (colored in blue or white depending on the background), and modified the "Flying Elvis" to be underneath instead of flowing up-top. While appearing everywhere else, it was not applied on the uniforms until the 2015 season due to NFL uniform policies.<ref name="NewPatriotsLogo2013">Template:Cite web</ref>

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• The Patriots' wordmark used since 2013. A version with a small "Flying Elvis" underneath the block letters is also commonly seen, such as in the end zone of Gillette Stadium
  The Patriots' wordmark used since 2013. A version with a small "Flying Elvis" underneath the block letters is also commonly seen, such as in the end zone of Gillette Stadium

Uniforms

1960–1992

File:AFC-1984-1987,1990-Uniform-NE.png

The uniforms worn by the Patriots in the Sullivan era from 1960 to 1992, with variations in the striping throughout the years in the shoulders and sleeves.

The Patriots' primary uniforms remained largely unchanged from the franchises' inaugural season until 1993. The Patriots originally wore red jerseys with white block numbering at home, and white jerseys with red block numbering on the road. Both uniforms used white pants and white helmets, first with the hat logo over the player's number, then with the "Pat Patriot" logo starting in 1961.<ref name="Uniform History">Template:Cite web</ref> A blue stripe was added to the two red helmet stripes in 1964.<ref name="Uniform History"/> The numbers on both the home and away jerseys gained a blue outline in 1973.<ref name="Uniform History"/> In 1979, the Patriots began the first of many sporadic runs of wearing red pants with the white jerseys.<ref name="Uniform History"/> The red pants were dropped in 1981, but returned in 1984. After being dropped again in 1988, they were used again from 1990 to 1992.<ref name="Uniform History"/>

1993–1999

File:AFC-1995-1999-Uniform-NE.png

The uniforms worn by the Patriots in the early Kraft era from 1993 to 1999.

The Patriots underwent a complete identity overhaul before the 1993 season, starting with the introduction of the aforementioned "Flying Elvis" logo. The new uniforms consisted of a royal blue home jersey and a white away jersey.<ref name="NESN"/> The helmet was silver with the Flying Elvis logo and no additional striping.<ref name="NESN"/> Both uniforms used silver pants, originally with stripes designed to look like those flowing from the Flying Elvis, but these were changed to simple red and blue stripes after one season. When they debuted, both the home and away jerseys used red block numbers with a blue and white outline, but after one season the home uniforms switched to the now-familiar white with a red outline.<ref name="Uniform History 2">Template:Cite web</ref>

In 1995, the Patriots switched the block numbers to a more modern rounded number font with a dropshadow.<ref name="Uniform History 2"/> The Patriots were one of the first adopters of custom numbers, a trend that would grow drastically over the next 20 years.<ref name="Uniform History 2"/>

2000–2019

File:Patriots 12uniforms.png

The primary uniforms worn by the Patriots in the dynasty era from 2000 to 2019.

In 2000, the Patriots then became one of the few teams at the time to drop the rounded numbers and switch back to block numbers. The shade of blue was switched for the first time in the franchises' history, from royal to nautical blue. The jerseys once again had the number on the shoulders while the logo moved back to the sleeves. "New Century" silver stripes were also added to the home jersey, with nautical blue stripes appearing on the away jersey. The Patriots, unsatisfied with the 1990s white-on-silver road look, also took the opportunity to introduce blue pants to be worn with the white jersey, offering a better contrast. To better match the blue pants, the number on the white jersey was switched from red to blue.<ref name="patriots.com">Template:Cite web</ref>

Though the Patriots had generally worn silver pants with the blue jerseys, and navy pants with the white jerseys, they did wear an all-blue set during the 2002 season. On two consecutive home games that season, the Patriots wore blue tops with their road blue pants and white socks; they lost both games (Week 6 vs. the Packers, and Week 8 vs. the Broncos). The team would not wear an all-blue set again until the introduction of the Color Rush uniforms in 2016.<ref name="patriots.com" />

Throughout the 2011 season, the Patriots wore dark patches with white lettering on their uniforms with the initials 'MHK' in honor of Myra Kraft, the late long-time spouse of owner Robert Kraft.<ref name="f139">Template:Cite web</ref>

2020–present

File:2022Patriotsuniforms.png

The primary uniforms worn by the Patriots in the post-dynasty era from 2020–present.

In 2020, the Patriots made some changes to their uniform. The all-blue "Color Rush" design became the primary home uniform, complete with a tweaked nameplate font and numbers, and blue/red/white socks. A corresponding white uniform was also unveiled, also paired with the blue pants. Both uniforms featured truncated shoulder striping as a nod to the "Pat Patriot" uniforms. Coincidentally, the arrival of new jerseys occurred with the departure of long-time quarterback, Tom Brady, from the Patriots. Brady was in New England exactly between the last uniform change in 2000, and left before the 2020 uniform change in 2019.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=PatsUniforms>Template:Cite web</ref>

The Patriots brought back the silver pants to pair with the current uniforms in a 2022 Week 7 home game on Monday Night Football against the Chicago Bears. Unlike the previous silver pants the team wore from 2000 to 2019, this design featured thicker red stripes, matching the same width as the middle blue stripe.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> During a 2024 Week 7 road game at Wembley Stadium against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Patriots paired their silver pants with the road white uniform for the first time since 1999. After their largest victory of the 2024 season in a Week 10 road game dressed again in the silver pants with the road white uniform, the Patriots quietly promoted the silver pants to full-time use with both the home and road uniform for the rest of the season.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

For the Patriots' 2025 Week 6 road game at the New Orleans Saints, they reintroduced white pants to the primary uniform rotation, wearing them with the road white uniform. The Patriots last wore an all-white kit in 2017. Like with the silver pants, the white pants feature red-blue-red side stripes.<ref>Template:Cite tweet</ref>

Alternate uniforms

In 1994, the Patriots wore the "Pat Patriot" helmets and plain white striped pants from two seasons earlier as alternates as part of the NFL's 75th-anniversary celebration. In 2002, NFL teams were allowed to add a permanent third jersey to be worn in a maximum of two games. The Patriots reintroduced a red jersey as their alternate, complemented with the old-style "Pat Patriot" helmet.<ref name="NESN"/> In 2003, the Patriots changed their alternate to a silver jersey with blue pants. For this uniform, the "Flying Elvis" helmet was used.<ref name="NESN"/> The uniform was identical to the white jersey with any areas of white replaced by silver. These uniforms were dropped after 2007. No alternate uniform was used in 2008. In 2009, the red alternate was reintroduced, again accompanied by the "Pat Patriot" helmet. An alternate white road jersey was also worn with the older helmet for one game, using red numbers, in tribute to the 50th anniversary of the AFL. The red alternate gained a blue outline around the numbers in 2010 and this was worn through 2012. The Patriots temporarily retired their alternate red uniforms in 2013, thanks to a new NFL rule outlawing throwback alternate helmets, and restricting teams to one helmet shell only.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> However, after the NFL reinstated the use of alternate helmets in 2022, the Patriots brought back the throwback red uniforms.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2016, the Patriots took part in the NFL's Color Rush program, wearing monochrome navy uniforms on September 22 against the Houston Texans.<ref name="PatsColorRush">Template:Cite news</ref> The uniform tops were patterned after the 1980s Pat Patriot-era uniforms, while the pants featured thick white stripes with red accents. They have worn them a total of four times since 2016. In 2017, an all-white Color Rush uniform was introduced and used for the Patriots' Thursday night road game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.<ref name="s796">Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2025, the Patriots unveiled a "Rivalries" uniform that would be worn at home against each of their AFC East opponents over a three-year period. Dubbed the "Nor'easter", the design featured a Storm Blue base with white and navy shoulder stripes, italicized white numbers with navy drop shadows, and a new "NE" patch on the sleeves. Six red stars along the neckline represent each of New England's six states. The uniform is worn with white pants and helmets, which featured a silver-trimmed "Flying Elvis" decal without red accents.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Facilities

Stadium and headquarters

Since 2002, the Patriots' home stadium has been Gillette Stadium, located 22 miles outside Boston in Foxborough, Massachusetts.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> A $350Template:Nbspmillion facility privately financed by Robert Kraft, it houses the team's practice facilities, administrative offices, and its owning entity The Kraft Group, as well as the Kraft-owned Major League Soccer team, the New England Revolution.<ref name="gs">Template:Cite web</ref> The field's natural grass was replaced with a FieldTurf surface during the 2006 season.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Patriots installed a new video board, the largest in the United States, in 2023.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Gillette Stadium has hosted more postseason games than any other venue except Candlestick Park's 27. From 2001 to 2019, the Patriots often played home playoff games. The Patriots had a 19–4 playoff record in this stadium after the 2019 NFL season, .<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Beginning in 2007, the area around the stadium was developed into a $375Template:Nbspmillion "lifestyle and entertainment center" called Patriot Place; among its largest structures is a multi-floor restaurant and bar called CBS Scene.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

From 1971—the team's second year in the NFL after the AFL–NFL merger—to 2002, the Patriots played in the privately funded Foxboro Stadium. The final game in this stadium was the 2001 AFC Divisional Playoff game which was a 16–13 overtime win over the visiting Oakland Raiders, known for the raging snowstorm and the "tuck rule" call.<ref name="gs"/> During the team's days in the American Football League and its first year in the NFL, the Boston Patriots were hosted by a number of fields in or around Boston.<ref name="gs"/>

Stadium history

style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle;"|Stadium	style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle;"|Location	style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle;"|Duration
Boston University Field	Boston, Massachusetts	1960–1962
Fenway Park		1963–1968
Alumni Stadium	Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts	1969
Harvard Stadium	Allston, Massachusetts	1970
Foxboro Stadium	Foxborough, Massachusetts	1971–2001
Gillette Stadium		2002–present

Training camp and practice

File:Randy Moss etc at Patriots training camp 2009.jpg

Patriots players during training camp in 2009

From 1976 to 2002, the team held training camp at Bryant College in Smithfield, Rhode Island. From 1960 to 1961, then from 1969 to 1975, the Patriots held training camp at University of Massachusetts Amherst. Between 1962 and 1968, the Patriots held training camp at Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Aircraft

File:New England Patriots Boeing 763 arrives at Logan International Airport with medical supplies.jpg

One of the two Patriots' 767s taxiing at Logan International Airport in 2020

In 2017, the Patriots purchased two Boeing 767-300ERs for use as team planes, with one serving as the backup, which were ready in time for the 2017 NFL season. This made them the first team in league history to own their own planes.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> At the time it was getting more difficult for professional sports teams to book private charter flights, with eight teams being dropped that season, as major commercial airlines were instead focusing on more profitable scheduled flights.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The two jet airliners, N366AA and N39367, were previously operated by American Airlines from 1991 to 2016. The planes are known affectionately as "AirKrafts" after team owner Robert Kraft.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Kraft lent one of the planes to transport students to the March for Our Lives demonstration in Washington, D.C. in 2018.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2020, the New England Patriots signed an agreement with Eastern Airlines to handle the operations of their planes. In July 2023, the Patriots filed a lawsuit against Eastern Airlines over an alleged breach of contract.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Since February 2024, the planes are operated by Omni Air International.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Rivalries

In terms of number of games played, the Patriots have competed most against other teams in the AFC East division and developed rivalries with the Buffalo Bills,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Miami Dolphins,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and New York Jets.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> These teams were all a part of the AFC East division since the AFL–NFL merger, as well as the former AFL Eastern division. Outside their division, the Pariots have a rivalry with the Indianapolis Colts, who were members of the AFC East from 1970 to 2001, the Baltimore Ravens,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Outside of the AFC, the Patriots also had a rivalry with the New York Giants.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Strategy and influence

Under head coach Bill Belichick, the Patriots employed specific on-field and off-field strategies. On the field, the Patriots typically used an "Erhardt–Perkins" offense and a "Fairbanks–Bullough" 3–4 defense, referred to commonly as a two-gap 3–4 defensive system. Under Erhardt's, Perkin's and Bullough's stints as coordinators and head coaches across the league after developing the scheme in collaboration with head coach Chuck Fairbanks, the systems developed in New England in the 1970s would begin to see historic use. Influence spread, especially under their coaching tree in Bill Parcells' schemes as head coach of the New York Giants in the mid-to-late 1980s, after serving as a linebacker coach for the Patriots in 1980. Parcells would come back to New England as head coach in 1993 and re-install the system used in the 1970s and 1980s, re-uniting with Ray Perkins as WR coach. Parcells own coaching tree would use the scheme created in New England as well, especially Belichick, once he was named as head coach after years of being an assistant to Parcells with the New York Giants, the Patriots, and the New York Jets.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

During Belichick's tenure, the philosophy in making personnel decisions and in game planning focused on the "team" concept,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> stressing preparation, strong work ethic, versatility,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and lack of individual ego.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The team culture under Belichick, dubbed the "Patriot Way", included:

• A self-critical, perfectionist, and militaristic approach<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• An emphasis on team,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> equality among players and lack of individual ego<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• A strong work ethic, intelligence and high level of focus and preparation for each individual game<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Versatile players, able to play multiple positions<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Multiple schemes intended to take advantage of their opponent's weaknesses<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Championships

Super Bowl championships

File:Gillette Stadium04.jpg

The Super Bowl banners for the Patriots' first three league championships at Gillette Stadium.

File:Malcolm Butler (American football).JPG

A Super Bowl hero, CB Malcolm Butler made one of the greatest plays in NFL history with a game-clinching interception at the goal line in Super Bowl XLIX, ensuring the Patriots' victory in the final seconds of the game.

The New England Patriots have won six Super Bowls, the league championship of the NFL. The franchise is tied for the most all-time with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The team repeated as champions between the 2003 and 2004 NFL seasons, they are only among eight NFL franchises to accomplish the feat. Between 2001 and 2004, the Patriots became the second team in NFL history to win three Super Bowls in four years (2001, 2003, and 2004).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle"| Year	style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle"| Coach	style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle"| Super Bowl	style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle"| Location	style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle"| Opponent	style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle"| Score	style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle"| Record
2001	Bill Belichick	XXXVI	Louisiana Superdome (New Orleans)	St. Louis Rams	20–17	11–5
2003		XXXVIII	Reliant Stadium (Houston)	Carolina Panthers	32–29	14–2
2004		XXXIX	Alltel Stadium (Jacksonville)	Philadelphia Eagles	24–21	14–2
2014		XLIX	University of Phoenix Stadium (Glendale)	Seattle Seahawks	28–24	12–4
2016		LI	NRG Stadium (Houston)	Atlanta Falcons	34–28 (OT)	14–2
2018		LIII	Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)	Los Angeles Rams	13–3	11–5
Total Super Bowls won:					6

AFC championships

The Patriots have won eleven AFC Championships, the record for the most conference championships all-time in the NFL.<ref name="NFL Enterprises, LLC"/>

style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle"| Year	style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle"| Coach	style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle"| Location	style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle"| Opponent	style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle"| Score	style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle"| Record
1985	Raymond Berry	Miami Orange Bowl (Miami)	Miami Dolphins	31–14	11–5
1996	Bill Parcells	Foxboro Stadium (Foxborough)	Jacksonville Jaguars	20–6	11–5
2001	Bill Belichick	Heinz Field (Pittsburgh)	Pittsburgh Steelers	24–17	11–5
2003		Gillette Stadium (Foxborough)	Indianapolis Colts	23–20	14–2
2004		Heinz Field (Pittsburgh)	Pittsburgh Steelers	41–27	14–2
2007		Gillette Stadium (Foxborough)	San Diego Chargers	21–12	16–0
2011			Baltimore Ravens	23–20	13–3
2014			Indianapolis Colts	45–7	12–4
2016			Pittsburgh Steelers	36–17	14–2
2017			Jacksonville Jaguars	24–20	13–3
2018		Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City)	Kansas City Chiefs	37–31 (OT)	11–5
Total AFC Championships won:				11

Division championships

The Patriots have won 22 Division Championships, which is second place for the most all-time behind the Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys, who are tied in first with 24. One of these divisional titles was won in the AFL in the AFL East (1963), the rest were won in the AFC East of the NFL.<ref name="NFL Enterprises, LLC"/>

style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle"| Year	style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle"| Coach	style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle"| Record
1963	Mike Holovak	7–6–1
1978	Chuck Fairbanks	11–5
1986	Raymond Berry	11–5
1996	Bill Parcells	11–5
1997	Pete Carroll	10–6
2001	Bill Belichick	11–5
2003		14–2
2004		14–2
2005		10–6
2006		12–4
2007		16–0
2009		10–6
2010		14–2
2011		13–3
2012		12–4
2013		12–4
2014		12–4
2015		12–4
2016		14–2
2017		13–3
2018		11–5
2019		12–4
Total Division Championships won:		22

Statistics, records, and awards

Season by season results

Template:Main This is a partial list of the Patriots' last five completed seasons.

Note: The finish, wins, losses, and ties columns list regular season results and exclude any postseason play.

Super Bowl champions

Conference champions

Division champions

Wild Card berth

Template:As of

rowspan="2" style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle;"|Season	rowspan="2" style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle;"|Team	rowspan="2" style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle;"|League	rowspan="2" style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle;"|Conference	rowspan="2" style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle;"|Division	colspan="4" style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle;"|Regular season	rowspan="2" style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle;"|Postseason results	rowspan="2" style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle;"|Awards
style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle;"|Finish	style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle;"|Wins	style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle;"|Losses	style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle;"|Ties
Template:NFL Year	2020	NFL	AFC	East	3rd	7	9	0	—	—
Template:NFL Year	2021	NFL	AFC	East	2nd	10	7	0	Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Bills) 47–17	—
Template:NFL Year	2022	NFL	AFC	East	3rd	8	9	0	—	—
Template:NFL Year	2023	NFL	AFC	East	4th	4	13	0	—	—
Template:NFL Year	2024	NFL	AFC	East	4th	4	13	0	—	—
Reference:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

All-time leaders

File:Tom Brady 2019.jpg

Widely regarded as the greatest quarterback of all time, Tom Brady is the longest tenured and most decorated player in franchise history.

colspan="4" style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle;"|All-time Patriots leaders
style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle;"|Leader	style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle;"|Name	style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle;"|Record number	style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle;"|Tenure
Passing<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Tom Brady	74,571 passing yards	2000–2019
Rushing<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Sam Cunningham	5,453 rushing yards	1973–1982
Receiving<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Stanley Morgan	10,352 receiving yards	1977–1989
Scoring<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Stephen Gostkowski	1,775 points	2006–2019
Sacks<ref name="Pro Football Reference">Template:Cite web</ref>	Andre Tippett	100.0 sacks	1982–1993
Interceptions<ref name="Pro Football Reference"/>	Raymond Clayborn	36 interceptions	1977–1989
	Ty Law		1995–2004
Coaching wins<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Bill Belichick	266 wins	2000–2023

Individual awards

Patriots have received league honorific awards from the Associated Press, except for the NFL's Super Bowl MVP and the Pro Football Writers of America's Executive of the Year. Seasons in which the AFL counterparts of the awards were won (1960–1969) are labeled.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Bold indicates those elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

colspan="3" style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle;"|NFL Most Valuable Player
style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"| Season	style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"|Player	style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"|Position
1964(AFL)	Gino Cappelletti	FL/K
1966(AFL)	Jim Nance	FB
2007	Tom Brady	QB
2010
2017

colspan="3" style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle;"|NFL Offensive Player of the Year
style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"| Season	style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"|Player	style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"|Position
2007	Tom Brady	QB
2010

colspan="3" style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle;"|NFL Defensive Player of the Year
style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"| Season	style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"|Player	style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"|Position
2019	Stephon Gilmore	CB

colspan="3" style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle;"|Super Bowl Most Valuable Player
style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"|Super Bowl	style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"|Player	style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"|Position
XXXVI	Tom Brady	QB
XXXVIII
XXXIX	Deion Branch	WR
XLIX	Tom Brady	QB
LI
LIII	Julian Edelman	WR

colspan="3" style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle;"|NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year
style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"| Season	style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"|Player	style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"|Position
1988	John Stephens	RB
1991	Leonard Russell	RB
1995	Curtis Martin	RB

colspan="3" style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle;"|NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year
style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"| Season	style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"|Player	style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"|Position
1976	Mike Haynes	CB
2008	Jerod Mayo	LB

colspan="3" style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle;"|NFL Comeback Player of the Year
style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"| Season	style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"|Player	style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"|Position
1966(AFL)	Vito "Babe" Parilli	QB
2005	Tedy Bruschi	LB
2009	Tom Brady	QB
2014	Rob Gronkowski	TE

colspan="2" style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle;"|NFL Coach of the Year
style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"|Season	style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"|Coach
1994	Bill Parcells
2003	Bill Belichick
2007
2010

colspan="2" style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle;"| NFL Executive of the Year
style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"| Season	style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"|Executive
2003	Scott Pioli
2007
2021	Bill Belichick

Players of note

Current roster

File:John Hannah New England Patriots press photo 1976-1980.jpg

Hall of Fame G John Hannah

File:Ty Law.JPG

Hall of Fame CB Ty Law (pictured with Denver Broncos)

File:Richard Seymour water bottle.jpg

Hall of Fame DE Richard Seymour

File:Tippett2008.jpg

Hall of Fame LB Andre Tippett

File:Randy-Moss 8-28-09 Patriots-vs-Redskins.jpg

Hall of Fame WR Randy Moss

Pro Football Hall of Famers

The Pro Football Hall of Fame has inducted six players who made their primary contribution to professional football while with the Patriots. The Patriots' total number of Pro Football Hall of Famers is 12 (11 players and 1 coach).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Notes:

• Hall of Famers who made a major part of their primary contribution for the Patriots are listed in bold.
• Hall of Famers who spent only a minor portion of their career with the Patriots are listed in normal font.

colspan="5" style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle;"|New England Patriots in the Pro Football Hall of Fame
colspan="5" style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle;"|Players
No.	Name	Inducted	Position(s)	Tenure
85	Buoniconti, NickNick Buoniconti	2001	LB	1962–1968
73	Hannah, JohnJohn Hannah	1991	G	1973–1985
40	Haynes, MikeMike Haynes	1997	CB	1976–1982
24	Law, TyTy Law	2019	CB	1995–2004
28	Martin, CurtisCurtis Martin	2012	RB	1995–1997
66	McMichael, SteveSteve McMichael	2024	DT	1980
81	Moss, RandyRandy Moss	2018	WR	2007–2010
24	Revis, DarrelleDarrelle Revis	2023	CB	2014
55	Seau, JuniorJunior Seau	2015	LB	2006–2009
93	Seymour, RichardRichard Seymour	2022	DE	2001–2008
56	Tippett, AndreAndre Tippett	2008	LB	1982–1993
colspan="5" style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle;"|Coaches and Contributors
Name		Inducted	Position(s)	Tenure
Parcells, BillBill Parcells		2013	Head coach	1993–1996

Retired numbers

File:Pro Football Hall of Fame (27033840159).jpg

Tom Brady's #12 jersey displayed at the Pro Football Hall of Fame

Elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame

colspan="5" style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle;"|New England Patriots retired numbers
style="width:40px; Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle;"|No.	style="width:150px; Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle;"|Player	style="width:40px; Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle;"|Position	style="width:100px; Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle;"|Tenure	style="width:150px; Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle;"|Retired
12	Tom Brady	QB	2000–2019	June 12, 2024
20	Gino Cappelletti	FL/K	1960–1970	1971
40	Mike Haynes	CB	1976–1982	1996
57	Steve Nelson	LB	1974–1987	July 11, 1988
73	John Hannah	G	1973–1985	1990
78	Bruce Armstrong	T	1987–2000	September 30, 2001
79	Jim Lee Hunt	DT	1960–1970	1971
89	Bob Dee	DE	1960–1967	1968

Reference <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Patriots Hall of Fame

The Patriots Hall of Fame features 31 former players and four contributors as a part of the franchise's own hall of fame, founded to independently commemorate significant members of the organization within the club's history. It is referred to by the team as "the franchise's highest individual honor". It was established in 1991, with John Hannah being the inaugural member.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The physical Patriots Hall of Fame building opened in 2008 outside of the stadium at Patriot Place, presented by RTX. Featuring a vast collection of game-worn gear, game-used equipment, memorabilia, trophies, in addition to multiple exhibits using audio and video technology, it is periodically renovated and updated yearly. It is described as a "modern, interactive museum".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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 grand opening of the physical Patriots Hall of Fame in 2008, the club introduced a new nomination committee to select three candidates, with the winner of an internet fan vote being enshrined in the hall of fame.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In order to be eligible, players and head coaches must be retired for at least four years. Beginning in 2011, and meeting every four-to-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, alongside the traditional inductee.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Starting in 2009, long-time "contributors", which can range from roles such as assistant coaches and broadcasters, have been periodically inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame directly by owner Robert Kraft. Former team owner and founder Billy Sullivan was posthumously inducted in March 2009, before the Patriots' 50th season, as the first contributor inducted.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame

colspan="5" style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle;"|Patriots Hall of Fame
style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle;"|No.	style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle;"|Name	style="width:210px;Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle;"|Position	style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle;"|Years with club	style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle;"|Inducted
65	Houston Antwine~†	DL	1961–1971	2015
78	Bruce Armstrong	T	1987–2000	2001
11	Drew Bledsoe	QB	1993–2001	2011
12	Tom Brady	QB	2000–2019	2024Template:Efn
80	Troy Brown	WR KR/PR Coach	1993–2007 2020–2024	2012
54	Tedy Bruschi	LB	1996–2008	2013
85	Nick Buoniconti	LB	1962–1968	1992
20	Gino Cappelletti	FL/K Broadcaster	1960–1970 1972–1978, 1988–2012	1992
26	Raymond Clayborn	CB	1977–1989	2017
87	Ben Coates	TE	1991–1999	2008
39	Sam Cunningham	RB	1973–1982	2010
89	Bob Dee†	DL	1960–1967	1993
11	Julian Edelman	WR	2009–2020	2025
33	Kevin Faulk	RB	1999–2011	2016
70	Leon Gray~†	T	1973–1978	2019
14	Steve Grogan	QB	1975–1990	1995
73	John Hannah	G	1973–1985	1991
37	Rodney Harrison	S	2003–2008	2019
40	Mike Haynes	CB	1976–1982	1994
79	Jim Lee Hunt†	DT	1960–1971	1993
24	Ty Law	CB	1995–2004	2014
72	Matt Light	T	2001–2011	2018
55	Willie McGinest	LB/DE	1994–2005	2015
86	Stanley Morgan	WR	1977–1989	2007
56	Jon Morris~	C	1964–1974	2011
35	Jim Nance†	FB	1965–1971	2009
57	Steve Nelson	LB	1974–1987	1993
15	Vito "Babe" Parilli	QB	1961–1967	1993
—	Bill Parcells*	Linebackers Coach Head Coach	1980 1993–1996	2025
—	Gil Santos*	Broadcaster	1972–1979 1991–2012	2013
—	Dante Scarnecchia*	Assistant Coach	1982–1988 1991–2013 2016–2019	2023
93	Richard Seymour	DL	2001–2008	2020Template:Efn
—	Tracy Sormanti*†	Cheerleading Director	1983–2020	2021Template:Efn
—	Billy Sullivan*†	Founder/Owner	1960–1988	2009
56	Andre Tippett	LB Executive Director of Community Affairs	1982–1993 2007–present	1999
50	Mike Vrabel	LB Head coach	2001–2008 2025–present	2023
75	Vince Wilfork	DL	2004–2014	2022
Reference:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Notes:

• ^* = Inducted as a contributor
• ^~ = Inducted as a senior selection
• ^† = Posthumous induction

NFL All-Decade and Anniversary team selections

Patriots were named to the AFL All-Time Team (1960–1969), as well any NFL all-decade team after the AFL–NFL merger in 1970 (and NFL 75th and 100th Anniversary All-Time Teams, selected in 1994 and 2019, respectively).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Only those who spent time with New England during the respective decades are listed for all-decade team selections.

Bold indicates those elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Template:Col-begin Template:Col-3

colspan="4" style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle;"|AFL All-Time team (1960–1969)
style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"|No.	style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"|Name	style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"|Position	style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"|Tenure
56	Jon Morris	C	1964–1974
65	Houston Antwine	DT	1961–1971
85	Nick Buoniconti	MLB	1962–1968
46	Bob Scarpitto	P	1968

colspan="4" style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle;"|NFL 1970s All-Decade Team
style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"|No.	style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"|Name	style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"|Position	style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"|Tenure
73	John Hannah	G	1973–1985

colspan="4" style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle;"|NFL 1980s All-Decade Team
style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"|No.	style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"|Name	style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"|Position	style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"|Tenure
73	John Hannah	G	1973–1985
56	Andre Tippett	LB	1982–1993
40	Mike Haynes	CB	1976–1982

colspan="4" style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle;"|NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team
style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"|No.	style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"|Name	style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"|Position	style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"|Tenure
73	John Hannah	G	1973–1985
40	Mike Haynes	CB	1976–1982

colspan="4" style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle;"|NFL 1990s All-Decade Team
style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"|No.	style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"|Name	style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"|Position	style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"|Tenure
87	Ben Coates	TE	1991–1999
—	Bill Parcells	Coach	1993–1996

colspan="4" style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle;"|NFL 2000s All-Decade Team
style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"|No.	style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"|Name	style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"|Position	style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"|Tenure
12	Tom Brady	QB	2000–2019
81	Randy Moss	WR	2007–2010
93	Richard Seymour	DE	2001–2008
24	Ty Law	CB	1995–2004
4	Adam Vinatieri	K	1996–2005
—	Bill Belichick	Coach	2000–2023

colspan="4" style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle;"|NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team
style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"|No.	style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"|Name	style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"|Position	style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"|Tenure
12	Tom Brady	QB	2000–2019
81	Randy Moss	WR	2007–2010
87	Rob Gronkowski	TE	2010–2018
73	John Hannah	G	1973–1985
55	Junior SeauTemplate:Efn	LB	2006–2009
40	Mike Haynes	CB	1976–1982
4	Adam Vinatieri	K	1996–2005
—	Bill Belichick	Coach	2000–2023

colspan="4" style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle;"|NFL 2010s All-Decade Team
style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"|No.	style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"|Name	style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"|Position	style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle"|Tenure
12	Tom Brady	QB	2000–2019
17	Antonio Brown	WR	2019
87	Rob Gronkowski	TE	2010–2018
70	Logan Mankins	G	2005–2013
95	Chandler Jones	LBTemplate:Efn	2012–2015
24	Darrelle Revis	CB	2014
3	Stephen Gostkowski	K	2006–2019
84	Cordarrelle Patterson	KR	2018
—	Bill Belichick	Coach	2000–2023

Pro Bowl selections

Two Patriots have been named Pro Bowl MVP: Vito "Babe" Parilli in 1966 (AFL) and Ty Law, 1998's co-MVP.

Three Patriots coaches have participated in the Pro Bowl as conference coaches: Mike Holovak in 1963 and 1966 (AFL), Chuck Fairbanks in 1978, and Bill Belichick in 2006 and 2010.

File:Matthew Slater 2019.jpg

Special teams gunner Matthew Slater holds the most Pro Bowl selections among special teams player in NFL history: 10.

Patriots players named to the Pro Bowl (or the AFL All-Star game before 1970):<ref name="pro-football-reference.com">Template:Cite web</ref>

• QB Tom Brady (14), Drew Bledsoe, Vito "Babe" Parilli (3) (AFL), Drake Maye, Mac Jones, Mike Taliaferro
• FB Larry Garron (4) (AFL), Jim Nance (2) (AFL), Sam Cunningham, James Develin
• HB Curtis Martin (2), Tony Collins, Corey Dillon, John Stephens, Craig James, Carl Garrett (AFL)
• LT Bruce Armstrong (6), Matt Light, Brian Holloway (3), Leon Gray (2), Don Oakes (AFL)
• LG John Hannah (9), Logan Mankins (6), Charley Long (2) (AFL), Charley Leo (AFL)
• C Jon Morris (7) (AFL), Damien Woody, Dan Koppen
• RG Billy Neighbors (AFL), Len St. Jean (AFL), Brian Waters
• RT Tom Neville (AFL), Dick Klein (AFL)
• TE Rob Gronkowski, Ben Coates (5), Russ Francis (3), Marv Cook (2)
• WR Wes Welker, Gino Cappelletti (5) (AFL), Stanley Morgan (4), Randy Moss, Troy Brown, Terry Glenn, Irving Fryar, Ron Sellers (AFL), Jim Colclough (AFL)
• DE Richard Seymour (5), Bob Dee (4) (AFL), Larry Eisenhauer (4) (AFL), Julius Adams, Andre Carter, Chandler Jones
• DT Houston Antwine (6) (AFL), Vince Wilfork (5), Jim Lee Hunt (4) (AFL)
• LB Andre Tippett, Nick Buoniconti (5) (AFL), Tom Addison (4) (AFL), Steve Nelson (3), Johnny Rembert, Willie McGinest, Jerod Mayo, Dont'a Hightower, Matthew Judon (2), Chris Slade, Tedy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel, Jamie Collins
• CB Mike Haynes (6), Ty Law (4), Stephon Gilmore (3), Dick Felt (AFL), Chuck Shonta (AFL), Leroy Mitchell (AFL), Asante Samuel, Devin McCourty, Aqib Talib, Darrelle Revis, Malcolm Butler, J. C. Jackson
• SS Lawyer Milloy (4), Fred Bruney (2) (AFL), Ron Hall (AFL),
• FS Brandon Meriweather (2), Don Webb (AFL), Fred Marion, Devin McCourty
• PK Stephen Gostkowski (4), Adam Vinatieri (2), John Smith, Tony Franklin
• P Rich Camarillo, Jake Bailey
• ST Matthew Slater (10), Raymond Clayborn (3), Larry Izzo (2), Mosi Tatupu, Dave Meggett, Brenden Schooler

First-team All-Pro selections

These Patriots have been named AP first-team All-Pro (or All-AFL before 1970):<ref name="pro-football-reference.com"/>

File:Stephon Gilmore 2019.jpg

CB Stephon Gilmore, a two-time First-team All-Pro and the franchise's first NFL DPOY recipient in 2019.

• QB Tom Brady (3), Vito "Babe" Parilli (AFL)
• FB Jim Nance (AFL) (2)
• LT Leon Gray (3), Matt Light
• LG John Hannah (7), Logan Mankins
• C Jon Morris (AFL)
• RG Billy Neighbors (AFL)
• TE Rob Gronkowski (4), Ben Coates (2), Marv Cook, Jim Whalen (AFL)
• WR Wes Welker (2), Randy Moss
• DE Richard Seymour, Larry Eisenhauer (AFL) (3)
• DT Houston Antwine (AFL), Vince Wilfork
• LB Nick Buoniconti (4) (AFL), Andre Tippett (2), Tom Addison (AFL), Mike Vrabel, Jerod Mayo
• CB Ty Law, Stephon Gilmore (2), Asante Samuel, Darrelle Revis
• SS Ron Hall (AFL), Lawyer Milloy, Rodney Harrison
• PK Adam Vinatieri, Stephen Gostkowski (2)
• P Jake Bailey
• ST Matthew Slater (2), Gunner Olszewski, Marcus Jones, Brenden Schooler

Administration and personnel

File:RobertKraftPatriots (cropped).jpg

Robert Kraft, a native Bostonian and a Patriots fanatic before purchasing the team, bought the franchise in 1994.

Ownership

The Patriots have had four owners since becoming a franchise, the first being Massachusetts native Billy Sullivan from 1959 to 1988. During Sullivan's 28 seasons of owning the club, the Patriots tallied 14 winning records, made six playoff appearances, played in the 1963 AFL Championship Game and represented the AFC in Super Bowl XX. However, he was also notoriously cheap, and would cause friction with some his high-profile players who were seeking to be respected and paid more, causing someone such as future Pro Football Hall of Famer Mike Haynes to seek an owner who was team first.<ref name="Sullivan-Obituary" />

After his bankruptcy, Sullivan sold the team to Remington Products owner Victor Kiam in 1988.<ref name="Sullivan-Obituary">Template:Cite news</ref> The sale did not include Foxboro Stadium, which Sullivan lost in a bankruptcy sale to paper magnate Robert Kraft, and Kiam lost money on the deal. In 1990, Lisa Olson, a Boston Herald reporter, sued Kiam and the Patriots when Zeke Mowatt allegedly exposed himself and made lewd comments to her in the team change room. The incident stirred debate over female reporters in the locker room. Kiam became the center of the controversy when he came to the defense of the players' actions.<ref name="People magazine, Oct. 15, 1990">Template:Cite web</ref>

In his later career, Kiam's business interests moved on from the Patriots, so he sold them in 1992 to St. Louis businessman James Orthwein. During his ownership, Orthwein hired Bill Parcells as head coach and oversaw the drafting of first-overall draft pick quarterback Drew Bledsoe, who helped to return the moribund franchise to respectability. He planned to relocate the Patriots franchise to St. Louis, renaming the team the St. Louis Stallions. However, those plans were derailed when Boston paper magnate Robert Kraft, owner of Foxboro Stadium, refused to accept a buyout of the lease. Kraft used his ownership of the stadium to stage a hostile takeover, offering to pay $175 million for the Patriots franchise knowing that Orthwein no longer wanted the team if he could not move it to St. Louis. Although future St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke offered to buy the team for $200 million and move it to St. Louis, Orthwein would have been saddled with all moving expenses. He also would have been responsible for any legal expenses as well, and Kraft had already made it clear that he would go to court to enforce the lease. With no other choice, Orthwein accepted Kraft's bid on January 21, 1994.<ref name=NYT>Template:Cite news</ref>

Kraft had been a life-long fan (he was a season ticket holder since 1971) before he purchased the team and intended to support them much more than all of the previous owners did, making multiple moves that have turned New England into an admirable franchise since. The Patriots under Kraft have been the NFL's most successful franchise since 1994. Since then, the Patriots have appeared in ten Super Bowls, have won six, and had numerous league records established by the franchise.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In September 2025, Robert Kraft agreed to sell minority stakes in the franchise: 5 percent to billionaire investor Dean Metropoulos and 3 percent to private equity firm Sixth Street. The deal, which still requires approval by NFL owners, values the team at around $9 billion. The Kraft family will retain more than 90 percent ownership.<ref name="ReutersPatriots">Reuters. "Report: Patriots selling minority stakes at $9B valuation." 25 September 2025. [1]</ref><ref name="FTPatriots">Financial Times. "New England Patriots valued at $9 bn as sport deal flurry continues." 25 September 2025. [2]</ref><ref name="BostonGlobePatriots">Boston Globe. "Patriots owner Robert Kraft selling minority stake in franchise." 25 September 2025. [3]</ref><ref name="ForbesPatriots">Forbes. "New England Patriots Sell Minority Stake—Team Valued At $9 Billion." 25 September 2025. [4]</ref>

Name	Tenure	Record			Titles
		W	L	T
Billy Sullivan	1960–1987	193	202	9
Victor Kiam	1988–1991	21	43	0
James Orthwein	1992–1993	7	25	0
Robert Kraft	1994–present	324	176	0	6

Head coaches

File:Bill Belichick 8-28-09 Patriots-vs-Redskins.jpg

Bill Belichick, head coach from 2000 to 2023, led the Patriots to six Super Bowl titles.

The Patriots have had 16 head coaches throughout their history as a franchise. On January 12, 2025, the Patriots hired Mike Vrabel as their 16th head coach in franchise history, he is the second coach in the club's history to have played for the team (2001–2008).<ref name="g518">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Bill Belichick had the longest tenure as head coach (23 seasons) with the Patriots, and coached the team from 2000 to 2023. He has been widely considered one of the greatest coaches of all time, and was named a member of the NFL 100th All-Time Anniversary Team, due to his numerous accomplishments with the Patriots.<ref name="i477">Template:Cite web</ref> He specifically led the Patriots to 17 AFC East division titles, 13 appearances in the AFC Championship Game, and nine Super Bowl appearances, with a record six wins.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Belichick was the NFL's longest-tenured head coach at the time of his departure, as well as the first all-time in playoff coaching wins with 31 and third in regular season coaching wins in the NFL with 297.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He is one of only three head coaches who have won six NFL titles.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He was named the NFL Coach of the Year for the 2003, 2007, and 2010 seasons.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Belichick was acquired in a "trade" with the rival New York Jets.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Belichick did not want to be under Bill Parcells' authority there in 2000, with uncertainty of his role once their owner, Leon Hess, died. The initial promise was that Belichick would've been granted extreme authority over all of the Jets executive decisions, but when Hess died Parcells overruled the stipulation with loopholes, so he would remain in control as general manager, leading to Belichick's infamous resignation in 2000. Parcells, a two winning Super Bowl champion coach with the New York Giants (also was an assistant with the Patriots in the early 1980s), had joined New England's staff for the 1993 season to help resurrect the franchise from its dark early 1990s days but had conflicted interests with owner Robert Kraft.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In his last year with the Patriots in 1996, Parcells brought in his assistant head coach from his Giants days, Belichick, after being dismissed from coaching five seasons with the Cleveland Browns. Here, Kraft would plant the seeds of a bond between him and Belichick, as Belichick would often mediate issues between Kraft and Parcells. Although Belichick left in 1997 to once again be Parcells assistant in their Jets regime, cold feet about his long-term role there brought him back after negotiating with Kraft, even though he was still under contract with the Jets.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Patriots had technically "tampered" in communicating with Belichick. For compensation, the Patriots gave the Jets their first round pick in the 2000 NFL draft, where even without their first round pick, the Patriots would coincidentally draft Tom Brady in the sixth round, widely regarded as the greatest quarterback of all time and the NFL's greatest draft steal.<ref name="m162">Template:Cite web</ref>

While Belichick led the team to nine of their eleven Super Bowl appearances, winning six of them, before him the Patriots saw some championship game appearances. Holovak, Raymond Berry and Parcells all led the Patriots to league championship games, with only one coach failing to reach the Super Bowl. Five Patriots head coaches, Holovak, Chuck Fairbanks, Berry, Parcells, and Belichick, have been named Coach of the Year by at least one major news organization. The first head coach in franchise history was Lou Saban, who coached them to a 7–12–0 record in the 1960 season.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Name	Tenure	Record			Titles
		W	L	T
Lou Saban	1960–1961	7	12	0
Mike Holovak	1961–1968	52	49	9
Clive Rush	1969–1970	5	16	0
John Mazur	1971–1972	9	21	0
Phil Bengtson*	1972	1	4	0
Chuck Fairbanks	1973–1978	46	39	0
Ron Erhardt	1979–1981	21	28	0
Ron Meyer	1982–1984	18	15	0
Raymond Berry	1984–1989	48	39	0
Rod Rust	1990	1	15	0
Dick MacPherson	1991–1992	8	24	0
Bill Parcells	1993–1996	32	32	0
Pete Carroll	1997–1999	27	21	0
Bill Belichick	2000–2023	266	121	0	6
Jerod Mayo	2024	4	13	0
Mike Vrabel	2025–present	0	0	0

Note:

• ^* = Interim coach

Culture

Cheerleaders

File:New England Patriots Cheerleaders (USAF).jpg

The team's cheerleading squad performing a routine in 2007

The Patriots' professional cheerleading squad is the New England Patriots Cheerleaders which represents the team in the NFL.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Notable alumni of the cheerleading squad include wrestler Carmella<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and model Camille Kostek.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Long-time cheerleading director Tracy Sormanti, who was the cheer director since 1994 and had been involved with the organization since 1983, died after a three-year battle with multiple myeloma in 2020.<ref name="h008">Template:Cite web</ref> She was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame in 2021 as a contributor.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Mascots

The Patriots' official mascot since 1995 has been Pat Patriot, a revolutionary minuteman wearing a Patriots home jersey based on the original logo of the same name.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The Patriots also employ a corps known as the End Zone Militia, a group of American Revolutionary War reenactors founded in 1996 by Geoff Campbell, a reenactor for the 9th Massachusetts Regiment (26th Continental Regiment).<ref name="u670">Template:Cite web</ref> Consisting of about 30 men and women, they dress 20 for each home game and split themselves into two groups of 10 lining the back of either end zone. When the Patriots score – whether it be a touchdown, field goal, point-after-touchdown or safety – the militia behind the opposite end zone fire a volley of blanks from flintlock muskets. Per an interview with the Loren & Wally Show on WROR 105.7 FM in and around the time of Super Bowl XLIX, said shots use double the load of black powder than a regular historical reenactor does, specifically 200 grains, in order to be heard throughout the stadium. ESPN writer Josh Pahigian named this one of the top ten celebrations in the league in 2007.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Fans

The team draws much of its fanbase from the New England region of the United States, as well as from the Canadian province of Quebec<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and much of Atlantic Canada.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Radio and television

File:New England Patriots radio affiliates.png

Map of New England Patriots radio affiliates

The Patriots' flagship radio station is WBZ-FM (98.5 FM, otherwise known as "The Sports Hub"),<ref name="Patriots Media">Template:Cite web</ref> owned by Beasley Broadcast Group.<ref name="BBGI">Template:Cite web</ref> The larger radio network is called the New England Patriots Radio Network, whose 37 affiliate stations span seven states.<ref name="Patriots Media" /> Gil Santos and Gino Cappelletti were the longtime announcing team until their retirement following the conclusion of the 2012 NFL season.<ref name="i480">Template:Cite web</ref> Santos was replaced by Bob Socci.<ref name="Patriots Media" /> Former Patriots QB Scott Zolak joined the radio team in the 2011 season as a sideline analyst, and in 2013, he replaced Cappelletti as color commentator.<ref name="Patriots Media" />

Any preseason games not on national television are shown on CBS's O&O WBZ-TV, who also airs the bulk of Patriots regular-season games by virtue of CBS having the rights to most AFC games; CBS also has a presence at the nearby Patriot Place with the "CBS Scene" bar and restaurant. During the regular season whenever the Patriots host an NFC team, the games are aired on Fox affiliate WFXT-TV, and NBC Sunday Night Football games are carried by Boston NBC station WBTS-CD.<ref name="Patriots Media" /> Preseason games were broadcast on ABC affiliate WCVB-TV from 1995 until the change to WBZ in 2009 (WCVB continues to simulcast ESPN's Monday Night Football games featuring the Patriots).<ref name="Patriots Media" /> Don Criqui was play-by-play announcer for the 1995–2012 seasons, with Randy Cross as a color commentator and Mike Lynch as a sideline reporter.<ref name="Patriots Media" /> Lynch was replaced by WBZ reporter Steve Burton in 2009.<ref name="Patriots Media" />

See also

• Active NFL playoff appearance streaks
• Forbes list of the most valuable sports teams
• List of National Football League records (team)
• List of Super Bowl records
• Sports in Massachusetts
• Sports in Boston

Further reading

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External links

• Template:Official website
• Patriots Hall of Fame (Template:Webarchive)
• NFL.com profile page (Template:Webarchive)
• Franchise Encyclopedia at Pro Football Reference