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New
England Patriots History
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New England Patriots, professional
football team and one of four teams in the East Division of
the American Football Conference (AFC) of the National Football
League (NFL). Formerly called the Boston Patriots, the team
plays its home games at Gillette Field in Foxboro, Massachusetts,
and wears uniforms of blue, red, silver, and white. The team’s
name was inspired by Boston’s role in the American Revolution
(1775-1783).
The Patriots fielded several strong teams during the 1970s and
1980s, reaching the playoffs five times from 1976 to 1986. Star
players during the period included quarterback Tony Eason, tight
end Russ Francis, future Hall of Fame offensive guard John Hannah,
cornerback Mike Haynes, and linebacker Steve Nelson. Following
the 1985 season, the club played in the Super Bowl but lost
to the Chicago Bears. In the mid-1990s, New England again became
a powerhouse in the Eastern Division. It won the 1996 AFC championship
and then lost to the Green Bay Packers in the Super Bowl. The
Patriots finally triumphed in their third Super Bowl visit,
defeating the favored St. Louis Rams in 2002.
The Boston Patriots joined the American Football League (AFL)
as a charter member in 1960. In its second season the team compiled
a winning record. Eleven Patriots played in the 1963 AFL All-Star
Game as head coach Mike Holovak steered Boston to a tie for
the Eastern Division title. The team boasted many stars, including
linebackers Tom Addison and Nick Buoniconti, wide receiver—placekicker
Gino Cappelletti, running back Jim Nance, and quarterback Babe
Parilli.
The Patriots struggled from 1964 to 1969, posting winning records
in only two of six seasons. In 1967 Nance received the league’s
most valuable player (MVP) award. The club joined the NFL in
1970, establishing its home in Foxboro. Because the team played
its games outside of Boston, the franchise was renamed in 1971
as the New England Patriots to appeal to a greater number of
fans. The Patriots had a slow start in the NFL, winning no more
than seven games in a season from 1970 to 1975.
New England made a remarkable turnaround in 1976, finishing
with an 11-3 win-loss record and earning a wildcard berth to
the playoffs under head coach Chuck Fairbanks. The team starred
Russ Francis, John Hannah, Mike Haynes, and Steve Nelson. In
1978, led by second-year quarterback Steve Grogan, the Patriots
won their first NFL Eastern Division crown. In the early 1980s,
however, New England again dropped to the bottom of the division.
Coached by Raymond Berry, the Patriots made back-to-back postseason
appearances for the first time in franchise history in 1985
and 1986. A wildcard team in 1985, New England won three hard-fought
AFC playoff games to reach Super Bowl XX, where they lost to
the Chicago Bears, 46-10. In 1986 quarterback Tony Eason surpassed
the 3,000-yard mark for the second time, while wide receiver
Stanley Morgan led the AFC in yardage with his third 1,000-yard
season.
Cornerback Raymond Clayborn and linebacker Andre Tippett starred
defensively. New England, however, lost in the divisional playoffs
to the Denver Broncos, 22-17.
The Patriots floundered from 1987 to 1993, bottoming out in
1990 with a 1-15 record. The team rebounded in 1994 behind second-year
quarterback Drew Bledsoe, who led the NFL in passing yards.
Former New York Giants coach Bill Parcells coached the Patriots
to two more playoff appearances in 1995 and 1996. Powered by
Bledsoe and running back Curtis Martin, New England captured
the AFC championship in 1996 before losing in the Super Bowl
to the Green Bay Packers, 35-21. After the loss, Parcells resigned
and former San Francisco 49ers defensive coodinator Pete Carroll
was hired to replace him. Before the 2000 season, former Cleveland
Browns head coach Bill Belichick replaced Carroll. Despite a
5-11 record in his first year, Belichick built a contender that
went 11-5 in 2001. The Patriots then pulled off a series of
postseason upsets, culminating in a 20-17 victory over the St.
Louis Rams in the 2002 Super Bowl. Quarterback Tom Brady, who
replaced Bledsoe early in the season, was named the game’s
most valuable player (MVP). Brady repeated as MVP with the Patriots’
victory in the 2004 Super Bowl. In a remarkable season, again
led by head coach Belichick, the Patriots ran off 15 straight
victories, including the Super Bowl, the second longest winning
streak in NFL history.
1986 Super Bowl XX Lost to Chicago Bears, 46-10
1997 Super Bowl XXXI Lost to Green Bay Packers, 35-21
2002 Super Bowl XXXVI Defeated St. Louis Rams, 20-17
2004 Super Bowl XXXVIII Defeated Carolina Panthers, 32-29
2005 Super Bowl XXXIX Defeated Philadelphia 24-21
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