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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.
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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. |
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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. |
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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).
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