This article contains an in-depth explanation of the history of theNew England Patriots, a professionalAmerican football team that competes in theNational Football League (NFL).
Boston had previously been home to several NFL teams. The first was theBoston Bulldogs, which lasted only one season (1929).[1] They were followed by theBoston Braves/Redskins, from 1932 to 1936.[2] They played first atBraves Field and then atFenway Park.[2] The team moved to Washington following the1936 season.[2] TheBoston Yanks played from 1944 to 1948 before moving to New York to become theNew York Yanks.[3][4]
On November 16, 1959,Boston business executiveBilly Sullivan was awarded the eighth and final franchise of the developingAmerican Football League (AFL).[5] In addition to Billy and his brother Joe Sullivan, other initial investors in the team were John Ames, a lawyer,[6] Dean Boylan, president ofBoston Sand & Gravel, George Sargent, an insurance executive,Dom DiMaggio, formerBoston Red Sox center fielder,[7] Dan Marr, president of Marr Scaffolding Co, Ed McMann, president of the Northeast Packing Co, Paul Sonnabend, vice president of Hotel Corporation of America, and Edgar Turner, president of the 7-Up Distributors Corp.[8] Each of the founders invested $25,000 to capitalize the team.[8]
The following winter, locals were allowed to submit ideas for the Boston football team's official name.[9] The most common one, and the one that Sullivan selected, was the "Boston Patriots,"[10][11] with "Patriots" referring to those colonists of theThirteen Colonies who rebelled againstBritish control during theAmerican Revolution and in July1776 declared theUnited States of America an independent nation. Immediately thereafter, artist Phil Bissell ofThe Boston Globe developed the "Pat Patriot" logo.[12]
On July 30, 1960, the Boston Patriots defeated theBuffalo Bills in the first AFL pre-season game.[13] TheBoston Patriots played in the first-ever game in theAmerican Football League, against theDenver Broncos on September 9, 1960, which they lost by a score of 10–13.[14] The Boston Patriots defeated theBuffalo Bills in an AFL Eastern Division playoff game in 1963 and made it to theAFL Championship for the first time, but lost to theSan Diego Chargers 51–10.[15][16] Duringthe 1963 season, nine Patriots made the AFL All-star team, includingGino Cappelletti,Nick Buoniconti, andBabe Parilli.[17] In 1964, LinebackerTom Addison, an original Patriot, founded and was selected President of theAFL Players Association.[18] In the late 1960s, fullbackJim Nance became a top offensive player for thePatriots, gaining 1,458 yards duringthe 1966 season and 1,216 duringthe 1967 season.[19] He was named the AFL MVP in 1966.[19]
After theAFL–NFL merger in 1970, the league required that all teams reside in stadiums with at least 50,000 seats.[20] Prior to 1970, The Patriots did not have a regular home stadium.Nickerson Field,[21][22]Harvard Stadium,[23]Fenway Park, andAlumni Stadium, served as home fields during their time in the American Football League.[24] None of the four stadiums the Patriots had used up to that point qualified, and there was little room in Boston for a new stadium.[20] Due to this, discussions about a possible relocation toTampa, Florida occurred.[25][26] Indeed, past attempts at pro football in Boston had been stymied by the lack of an adequate stadium.
In 1971, the Patriots moved into a new stadium in suburbanFoxborough, Massachusetts, built on land granted by theBay State Raceway.[27] The team was renamed the New England Patriots on March 22, 1971, to reflect its new location.[28][29] The original choice, Bay State Patriots was rejected by the NFL.[30][31] The stadium, to be known asSchaefer Stadium, was built at a cost of about $6.2 million in only 327 days.[32] The stadium was one of the first stadiums in the country to be named after a corporate sponsor, as theSchaefer Brewing Company paid $1 million for naming rights.[32]
The first event held at the new Schaefer Stadium was a preseason game against theNew York Giants on August 15, 1971.[32] A massive traffic jam on Route 1 prevented many fans from getting in until halftime.[33][34]
In1971, the Patriots had a new quarterback,Heisman Trophy[35] winnerJim Plunkett.[36][37] Plunkett, fromStanford University, was the first overall selection in the1971 NFL draft.[37][38] The Patriots also signed free agentRandy Vataha, a wide receiver.[39]
The Patriots added three players to the team from the1973 NFL draft; offensive guardJohn Hannah, who became the first career Patriot to make thePro Football Hall of Fame;[41] running backSam Cunningham, the team's all-time leading rusher;[42][43] and wide receiverDarryl Stingley.[44]
In 1973, the team hiredChuck Fairbanks, who had been head coach at theUniversity of Oklahoma, as head coach.[45][46] The Patriots improved in Fairbanks's second season,1974, finishing 7–7.[47] During the1975 season, QB Plunkett was injured and the team ended the season 3–11.[48][49] Following the 1975 season, Plunkett was traded to theSan Francisco 49ers,[50] and eventually would win twoSuper Bowls with theOakland Raiders.[51]
The draft picks acquired in the Plunkett trade were used to select defensive backsMike Haynes andTim Fox.[51][52] ThePatriots finished the1976 season 11–3, their best record in team history to that point, and advanced to theplayoffs for the first time since 1963 as a wild card-berth.[53]
The Patriots played theOakland Raiders in the first round of the playoffs. Late in the game, the Patriots were leading the Raiders, 21–17.[54] On a 3rd-down play late in the 4th quarter, Patriots defensive tackleRay "Sugar Bear" Hamilton sacked Oakland quarterbackKen Stabler, which would have forced the Raiders into a 4th-down situation.[54] However, refereeBen Dreith called a roughing the passer penalty on Hamilton, nullifying the sack and giving the Raiders an automatic 1st down.[54] The penalty was debated later, but gave the Raiders the opportunity to score.[54][55] Stabler scored on a short touchdown run with less than a minute left, and the Raiders held on for a 24–21 win.[56]
The1977 season was a disappointing one for thePatriots, due in part to contract holdouts by offensive linemen John Hannah andLeon Gray.[57] The Patriots finished 9–5, one game out of first place in the AFC East, and out of theplayoffs.[58]
In a 1978 preseason game against theRaiders, wide receiver Darryl Stingley was paralyzed from the neck down from a tackle by Oakland'sJack Tatum.[59] ThePatriots finished 11–5 for their first post-merger AFC East championship.[60] However, hours before the final game of the regularseason, coachChuck Fairbanks announced he would be leaving the team to become head coach at theUniversity of Colorado.[61] OwnerBilly Sullivan immediately suspended Fairbanks, and offensive coordinatorRon Erhardt and defensive coordinatorHank Bullough were left to coach the final game without a head coach.[62] Fairbanks was reinstated for the playoffs, but the team lost its divisionalplayoff game 31–14 to theHouston Oilers, which also was the first Patriots post-season game at Schaefer Stadium.[63]
For the next two years, the Patriots would suffer late-season losses that denied them return trips to the playoffs. In1979, after starting 7–3, theteam lost five out of their last eight games, to finish 9–7 and out of the playoffs.[64] In1980, with running backSam Cunningham holding out all season,[65] thePatriots started 6–1[66] but finished 10–6, again out of the playoffs.[67] ThePatriots continued to slide in1981, finishing 2–14.[68]
Following the 1981 season, Erhardt was fired[69] and replaced byRon Meyer, who had been the head coach atSouthern Methodist University.[70] The Patriots had the top draft pick overall in the1982 NFL draft and selectedKenneth Sims, a defensive end from theUniversity of Texas at Austin.[71]
In thestrike-shortened1982 season, the highlight of thePatriots' campaign was the "Snowplow Game", a controversial 3–0 late-season win over theMiami Dolphins.[72] The controversy came in the 4th quarter when the Patriots were preparing for a field goal attempt.[72] Mark Henderson, a convict onwork release, used a tractor to clear a swath of field to aid the Patriots.[72] KickerJohn Smith's 33-yard attempt was good, and they were the only points scored by either team that afternoon.[72] The win helped put the Patriots in the playoffs, but thefirst-round rematch in Miami was won by the Dolphins.[73][74]
In 1983, the naming-rights deal for the stadium with Schaefer expired, and the stadium was renamed Sullivan Stadium.[75] Also in1983, quarterbackTony Eason wasdrafted in the first round.[76] Eason played sparingly in1983, but became the Patriots' starting quarterback in1984.[76][77] The team ended the season 8-8.[78]
The Patriots, with the top pick in the1984 NFL draft, selectedIrving Fryar, a wide receiver from theUniversity of Nebraska.[79] WithTony Eason starting at quarterback, thePatriots got off to a 5–2 start.[80][81] However, after a few losses, the Patriots fired head coachRon Meyer and replaced him with former Baltimore Colts wide receiverRaymond Berry.[82] The team won three of their first four games under Berry.[83][84][85][86] Theteam lost several games late in the 1984 season, and finished out of theplayoffs at 9–7.[87]
After struggling to start the1985 season, and Eason suffering a shoulder injury in October, coachRaymond Berry replaced Eason with Grogan.[88] Grogan broke his leg during the 12th game of the season and Eason took over as starting quarterback.[89][90] New England won six straight games and finished 11–5.[91] They then beat theNew York Jets 26–14, earning a wild card berth to the playoffs.[91]
In the divisional playoff against theLos Angeles Raiders, the Patriots forced six turnovers and won 27–20.[92] Dawson started the game with a touchdown, then when the Patriots were kicking off in the 4th quarter, a fumble by the Raiders resulted in a touchdown forJim Bowman.[92] After beating the Raiders, the Patriots were set to play theMiami Dolphins in the AFC Championship.[92] Days before the championship game,Irving Fryar was injured in a domestic incident and had to have his hand cast.[93] The Patriots defeated the Dolphins 31–14.[94] Eason threw touchdowns to running backTony Collins and tight endDerrick Ramsey early in the game.[94] Later, a touchdown byMosi Tatupu won the Patriots the AFC Championship of 1985.[94] They went on to theSuper Bowl XX, where they faced theChicago Bears.[94]
In the Super Bowl, the Patriots took an early 3–0 lead afterWalter Payton fumbled in the 1st quarter, resulting a field goal byTony Franklin.[95] The Bears would scored 44 points, including a touchdown by rookie defensive linemanWilliam "The Refrigerator" Perry.[96] The Patriots made one touchdown,[97] at the end to make the final score 46–10.[95]
Soon after the 1985 Super Bowl,Boston Globe sportswriterRon Borges wrote a story alleging that six Patriots players, including Fryar, cornerbackRaymond Clayborn, safetyRoland James, and running backTony Collins weremarijuana users.[98][99] In May 1986, allegations surfaced that Fryar was involved in gambling of NFL games.[100][101] In July 1986, offensive linemanJohn Hannah retired.[102]
In 1986, the Patriots' strength was their passing game, led by Eason and receiverStanley Morgan, who gained nearly 1,500 yards receiving.[103] The Patriots led the AFC East with an 11–5 record and traveled toDenver to take on theBroncos in thedivisional playoffs.[104] A 4th-quarter touchdown pass fromJohn Elway toVance Johnson won the game for Denver.[105]
In 1987, the Patriots acquiredDoug Flutie fromNatick, Massachusetts, who won the Heisman Trophy forBoston College in 1984.[106] He was acquired by the Patriots during the 1987players' strike and crossed thepicket line to play his first game for the Patriots.[107] However, late-season injuries put thePatriots out of playoff contention at 8–7.[108][109] In1988, thePatriots finished the season 9–7, narrowly missed the playoffs.[110]
During this time, the Sullivan family lost millions of dollars on poor investments, most notably from producingThe Jackson 51984 Victory Tour.[111] The Sullivans' losses from the Victory Tour impacted the operation of the Patriots.[111][112] The Sullivans had never been among the wealthier NFL owners, and had been forced to pledge Sullivan Stadium as collateral to finance the Victory Tour in 1984.[113][114] The losses from the Victory Tour were reportedly equivalent to the family's net worth, and the revenue from the Patriots was not enough to service the debt even after the team made it to the Super Bowl.[114] The losses from the Victory Tour forced the Sullivans to put the Patriots and Sullivan Stadium on the market in 1985.[111][113]
In August 1985,The Boston Globe reported that the Sullivans were looking to sell the Patriots, Sullivan Stadium, and their lease on Foxboro Raceway due to the family's financial and legal problems.[115] On April 10, 1986, a group of six Pennsylvania businessmen led by Fran Murray andDrew Lewis purchased a three-year option to acquire the team, stadium, and racetrack lease.[116] They later sold the option toJeffrey Chodorow, however Chodorow and the Sullivans were unable to come to terms on a sale.[117]Buddy LeRoux began negotiations to purchase the team in December 1986, however, due to a lack of progress on the deal, he withdraw his offer on March 17, 1987.[118][119] The following year, the Sullivans entered negotiations to sell the team and stadium toDonald Trump, however, because Trump was fundinga lawsuit against the league at that time, it was unlikely he would be approved by the league's owners and the deal was abandoned.[120][121]Robert Tisch,Robert Kraft,Peter de Savary, and Joe O'Donnell also made offers for the team.[122][123][124][125]
By the start of 1988, the Sullivans were heading for bankruptcy and at one point had to get a $4 million advance from the league to make payroll.[112] Sullivan sought to sell 50% of the team's shares to the public. The NFL turned down this request out of hand.[126] Instead, it appointed a four-man committee vested with what amounted to "wartime powers" to resolve the Patriots' finances by any means necessary–up to and including selling the team. However, NFL CommissionerPete Rozelle made clear that it would be untenable for the Patriots to remain under the Sullivans' control. For all intents and purposes, the Sullivan era was over.[127]
After an attempt to sell a stake in the team toReebok CEOPaul Fireman fell through, the Sullivans sold the team toRemington Products magnateVictor Kiam in 1988 for $90 million,[128][114] though Billy Sullivan remained team president.[129] However, the stadium lapsed into bankruptcy, and Kiam was outbid for it by Boston paper magnateRobert Kraft.[114]
In1988, thePatriots missed the playoffs by one game.[130] The1989 season was bad for theteam. Three of the team's defense players,Andre Tippett,Garin Veris andRonnie Lippett, were injured in the same preseason game.[131] The team rotated the quarterback job throughout the season.[132] The Patriots waived Eason during the season and he was picked up by the Jets.[133] The Patriots finished the season 5–11.[134]
Following the season, Flutie left for theCanadian Football League,[135] and general manager Dick Steinberg left to take a job with theNew York Jets.[136] Berry was fired and replaced byPittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinatorRod Rust for 1990.[137] ThePatriots finished with the worst season in franchise history in1990 – a 1–15 record.[138]
The day after the team's only win that year,Boston Herald reporterLisa Olson accused several Patriots players of sexually and verbally assaulting her in the team's locker room.[139] Kiam called Olson a "classic bitch" after the report.[140] Following an investigation into the accusations, NFL CommissionerPaul Tagliabue fined the team $50,000, and playersZeke Mowatt,Michael Timpson andRobert Perryman $12,500, $5,000, and $5,000 respectively.[139] Their season finale against theNew York Giants was a sellout; however, most of the fans at the game were Giants fans.[141] The team lost that game, missing a game-tying field goal in the closing seconds.[142]
After the 1990 season, the Patriots changed their front office. Rust was fired[143] and replaced byDick MacPherson, who had been the coach atSyracuse University.[144] Additionally,Sam Jankovich, who had been athletic director at theUniversity of Miami and oversaw the improvement of their athletic program, was brought on asCEO of the Patriots.[145]
ThePatriots improved in 1991.Hugh Millen took over as quarterback partway through theseason.[146] The Patriots ended the season at 6–10 with several upsets over playoff teams, including wins against theMinnesota Vikings and future AFC ChampionBuffalo Bills.[147][148][149]
In May 1992,St. Louis businessman andAnheuser-Busch heirJames Orthwein purchased Kiam's majority stake in the Patriots. Kiam was in severe financial straits and owed Orthwein millions. With most of his money tied up in either Remington or the Patriots, Kiam was forced to sell the team in order to repay Orthwein.[150][151] Rumors began swirling of a possible move of the Patriots to St. Louis, given Orthwein's desire to return an NFL team to his hometown.[150][152][153] ThePatriots finished the1992 season, 2–14,[154] leading to the departures of MacPherson and Jankovich.[155][156]
In 1993, the Patriots hiredBill Parcells, a two-timeSuper Bowl winner, as head coach.[157] Also in 1993, the uniforms and logo were changed.[158] The old "Pat Patriot" logo was retired and replaced with a Patriot head, designed in tandem withNFL Properties that many fans would eventually call "Flying Elvis".[159][160][161] The team's primary color changed from red to blue, and the helmets from white to silver.[158]
The Patriots had the first pick in the1993 NFL draft, and selected quarterbackDrew Bledsoe fromWashington State.[162] They also drafted linebackerChris Slade.[163] Bledsoe started the season as the starting quarterback, but was injured and replaced with former Dolphins backupScott Secules.[164][165][166][167]
The 1993 season began with a 1–11 record,[168] but ended the season by winning their last four games in a row, overCincinnati,Cleveland,Indianapolis, and overMiami in overtime in the finale, eliminating the Dolphins from the playoffs.[169][170][171][172]
Throughout the 1993 season, rumors continued that the team was going to move to St. Louis. In the 1993 off-season, the issue reached its climax. Orthwein offeredRobert Kraft, the team's landlord since 1988, $75 million to break the lease on Foxboro Stadium, which bound the team to continue playing there until at least 2002. However, Kraft refused.[173] Orthwein was not willing to continue operating the team in New England, and put it up for sale. Kraft knew that the terms of the operating covenant required any potential buyer to deal with him. With this in mind, he staged what amounted to ahostile takeover of the Patriots, offering to buy the team himself for a then-NFL record $160 million in 1994.[173][174] Although futureSt. Louis/Los Angeles Rams ownerStan Kroenke offered more money than Kraft, Orthwein would have been saddled with as much as $20 million in relocation costs, as well as any legal expenses resulting from breaking the lease. With Kraft making it clear that he would seek an injunction that would have forced Kroenke or any other potential buyer to keep the Patriots in Foxborough, Orthwein was all but forced to accept Kraft's bid.[173][175]
On February 26, 1994, Kraft's first full day as owner of the Patriots, the team sold a record number of season tickets.[176] In September, the Patriots sold out the entire 1994 season.[177] Every Patriots home game-preseason, regular season, and playoffs-has been sold out since.
Halfway through the1994 season, the Patriots were 3–6 and had lost 4 straight games when they faced theMinnesota Vikings for Week 10.[178]Drew Bledsoe started a second-half comeback by switching to a no-huddle offense.[179][180] Bledsoe set single-game records for pass attempts and completions, and the Patriots won the game 26–20 in overtime.[179] The Patriots won their last seven games of the regular season, finishing 10–6 and making theplayoffs as a wild card.[181] In the first round of the playoffs, the Patriots were beaten by theCleveland Browns 20–13.[182]
The Patriots draftedCurtis Martin in the third round of the1995 NFL draft.[183] The Patriots won their opening day match against the Browns.[184] Martin had a good season as a rookie, winning the conference rushing title and was named Rookie of the Year.[185] Bledsoe struggled with injuries,[186] the team struggled with inconsistency,[187] and the Patriots finished 6–10.[188]
During the 1995, the Patriots had their first home appearance onMonday Night Football since 1981.[189] During the Patriots' last appearance on the program, a number of fans in attendance proved to be rowdy and uncontrollable, and there were over 60 arrests at the game.[190] As a result of this behavior, the Town of Foxborough and the NFL refused to schedule Monday night home games in New England.[191] During 1995,Robert Kraft lobbied for the Town of Foxborough and the NFL to schedule the Patriots on a Monday night.[192] The NFL granted Kraft's request, scheduling the Patriots on Monday, October 23, in a game against theBuffalo Bills.[189] The Patriots won the game, 27–14, and the crowd was peaceful and orderly, with only a handful of isolated disturbances and arrests.[189]
Also during 1995, the primary home station for most Patriots regular season games changed. Since 1965, the games had aired onWBZ-TV, Boston'sNBC affiliate.[193] After ownerWestinghouse Broadcasting switched the station's affiliation toCBS,WHDH-TV took on airing theNFL on NBC package locally.[194]
In the1996 NFL draft, the Patriots selected wide receiverTerry Glenn with their first round draft pick.[195] The Patriots started out lackluster in1996. After an early-season loss to theRedskins at home dropped the Patriots to 3–3,[196] the Patriots won their next four games,[197] and finished the season 11–5.[198] The Patriots won the AFC East and earned a first-round bye in theplayoffs as the #2 seed.[199] The Patriots defeated thePittsburgh Steelers 28–3 in a divisional playoff game.[200] They then beat theJacksonville Jaguars 20–6 in the first AFC Championship game played in Foxboro.[201] The team advanced toSuper Bowl XXXI against theGreen Bay Packers.[201]
In the months and years after Kraft's purchase of the Patriots, relations between Kraft and Parcells were increasingly strained. This was primarily due to a struggle over Parcells' authority over football operations as Kraft wanted Parcells to yield some of his authority over personnel moves to a separate general manager.[202] The conflict climaxed in the days leading up to the Super Bowl, with rumors that Parcells would leave the Patriots after the season to take the vacant head coaching job with theNew York Jets.[203] During the game the Patriots were close to thePackers for much of the game, and took the lead briefly in the 2nd quarter.[204] However, two longBrett Favre touchdown passes and a Super Bowl record 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown byMVPDesmond Howard gave the Packers their 12th title.[205] The final score was 35–21.[205]
After the Super Bowl, Parcells resigned from the Patriots.[206] Kraft believed that Jets were trying to hire Parcells in time for him to have say in the Jets' selections in the1997 NFL draft.[207] Since The Jets couldn't hire Parcells as their head coach in 1997 because of an earlier contract renegotiation, they hired Parcells as a consultant andBill Belichick as head coach.[208][209] Kraft requested a 1st-round draft pick in return for allowing Parcells to coach elsewhere.[208] He also called the Jets' agreement "a transparent farce" that "demonstrated it was the Jets' intention all along for Bill Parcells to become head coach of the Jets for the '97 season."[207] Parcells claimed the Jets had been given league permission for the consulting agreement, the NFL denied any permission was given,[208] and had commissionerPaul Tagliabue arrange an agreement between the two sides.[210] The Patriots received two picks in the1997 NFL draft, a second round pick in the1998 draft, and a first round pick in the1999 draft in return for allowing Parcells to become the Jets' head coach.[210]
After former San Francisco 49ers head coachGeorge Seifert turned down the job, Kraft hiredPete Carroll as the new head coach of the Patriots.[211] In1997, the Patriots won the AFC East with a 10–6 record, but some key losses meant the team had to play in the wild card round in theplayoffs.[212] After beating theMiami Dolphins 17–3 in Foxboro, the Patriots played thePittsburgh Steelers in Pittsburgh.[213] A late fumble won the game for Pittsburgh, 7–6.[214]
During the 1998 offseason, the Patriots offeredrestricted free agent running backCurtis Martin a $1.153 million contract.[215] However, the Jets signed Martin, and per restricted free agency rules, ceded their 1st- and 3rd-round picks in the1998 NFL draft to the Patriots.[216][217] With the 1st-round pick, the Patriots selected running back,Robert Edwards.[218]
Their game against theBuffalo Bills on November 29, 1998 was controversial due to a series of questionable calls.[219] With under a minute to go and down by four points, the Patriots played a long drive.[220] However, the Buffalo defense appeared to stop the Patriots on 4th down with a juggled catch out of bounds.[220] The referees needed to determine whether receiverShawn Jefferson was inbounds, caught the ball, and achieved first down yardage.[220] The referee on the sideline signaled first down after a conference with other officials.[221] Several Bills claimed one said "just give it to them" in the huddle.[221] Television instant replays showed that Jefferson was short of first down yardage, but the NFL had discontinued use ofinstant replay after the 1991 season.[221] This call was followed by a questionable pass interference decision made in the end zone on what would have been the game's final play.[222] Bledsoe hit tight endBen Coates for a touchdown on the final untimed play of the game.[222] In protest, the Bills left the field.[219]
Drew Bledsoe and Terry Glenn were both injured later the season,[223] and the Patriots got the last playoff spot with a 9–7 record.[224] The Patriots lost 25–10 against theJacksonville Jaguars in the firstplayoff game.[225]
Although Robert Edwards had a promising rookie season, his career was derailed after he suffered a dislocated knee inHawaii while playing a game of flag football on the beach.[226]
Also during 1998, most Patriots games moved back to WBZ-TV after a three-year absence.[227]
Taking Edwards' place in1999 were veteranTerry Allen and rookieKevin Faulk.[228] The Patriots opened with a 30–28 victory over theNew York Jets,[229] followed by hosting theIndianapolis Colts and second-year quarterbackPeyton Manning.[230] Manning raced the Colts to a 28–7 halftime lead, but was limited to just 13 second-half passing yards asDrew Bledsoe threw three touchdowns.[230][231] After anEdgerrin James fumble,Adam Vinatieri kicked the winning field goal in a 31–28 final.[231] After a 27–3 win over theArizona Cardinals, Coates went to the media to protest that he was not being thrown to enough.[232] After this, the team stumbled and finished 8–8 and out of the playoffs.[233] Following the season, Carroll was fired,[234] while Vice President of Player PersonnelBobby Grier was retained only until the2000 NFL draft.[235]
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Pete Carroll was fired as head coach in January 2000[236] and ownerRobert Kraft attempted to hire Jets assistant head coachBill Belichick for the Patriots' head coaching position.[237] Belichick had been an assistant coach under Parcells with the Patriots in 1996, but followed Parcells to the Jets.[208] After the1999 season, Parcells resigned as head coach of the Jets and retired from NFL coaching.[238] Belichick succeeded him as head coach,[238] but resigned at a press conference the following day, citing the uncertainty over the Jets' ownership after the death ofLeon Hess as his reason.[239][240] The Jets denied Belichick permission to speak with other teams and the NFL upheld Belichick's contractual obligations to the Jets.[241][242] Belichick filed anantitrust lawsuit against the NFL.[243] After negotiations, the Patriots and Jets agreed to a compensation package that allowed Belichick to become the Patriots' head coach.[244] The deal had the Patriots send their first round pick in the2000 NFL draft and fourth and seventh round picks in the2001 draft to the Jets, while receiving the Jets' fifth round selection in 2001 and seventh round pick in2002.[245]
Belichick restructured the team's personnel department in the offseason.[246] The Patriots finished the2000 season 5–11 and missing the playoffs.[247] Also in 2000, the Patriots updated their uniforms.[248]
In 2001, Drew Bledsoe signed a 10-year contract extension and offensive tackleBruce Armstrong retired.[249][250][251] Wide receiverTerry Glenn didn't show up to training camp in August and was suspended by the NFL for the first four games of the season due to violating substance abuse policies.[252] During the training camp, quarterbacks coachDick Rehbein died ofcardiac arrest on August 6 at the age of 45.[253]
The Patriots lost their opener to theCincinnati Bengals,[254] and in the first post-9/11 game, against theJets, Bledsoe was injured, shearing ablood vessel in his chest after being tackled by Jets linebackerMo Lewis.[255][256]Tom Brady, a sixth round pick in the2000 NFL draft, took over for Bledsoe.[256] He remained the team's starting quarterback after Bledsoe was cleared to play two months later.[257] During the season, first-round draft pickRichard Seymour anchored the defensive line[258] andAntowain Smith, a free agent signed from Buffalo, ran over 1,000 yards.[259] The Patriots won their final six games to capture the AFC East with an 11–5 record.[260] The Patriots won a first-round bye as the #2 seed in theplayoffs.[261]
In the final game played at Foxboro Stadium, the Patriots hosted theOakland Raiders in a snowstorm.[262] This game became known as the "Tuck Rule Game", when a play originally ruled to be a Brady fumble was reversed by refereeWalt Coleman as an incomplete pass based upon the obscure "tuck rule."[263] After review, Coleman ruled that, because Brady's arm was moving forward when he lost the ball, he was deemed to have been in the act of throwing when he lost control of the ball.[263] Had the original ruling stood, the Raiders would have clinched the win.[263] Instead, the Patriots kickerAdam Vinatieri tied the game with a 45-yard field goal in the final 30 seconds.[263] The Raiders did not attempt to run a play at the end of regulation and, after losing the coin toss to start overtime, didn't get the ball again.[264] The Patriots drove downfield on their opening possession and won the game, 16–13.[264]
The Patriots faced theSteelers in theAFC Championship Game.[265] After Brady injured his ankle in the second quarter, Bledsoe came off the sideline and led the team to their only offensive touchdown of the game.[265][266] In the second half, with two special teams touchdowns and two fourth-quarter interceptions of passes thrown by Pittsburgh'sKordell Stewart, the Patriots upset the Steelers 24–17 to advance toSuper Bowl XXXVI.[266][267]
In the Super Bowl, the Patriots faced theSt. Louis Rams, led by league MVPKurt Warner.[268] During the game, Bill Belichick used a defensive game plan that used the blitz sparingly, but chipped the Rams receivers and running backMarshall Faulk as they went into their patterns.[269] This plan forced three turnovers.[270]
Belichick's defense held the Rams off until the 4th quarter, but after trailing 17–3 early in the quarter, St. Louis scored two touchdowns to tie the game at 17–17.[271] With 1:30 to go and notime-outs, Brady led New England's offense downfield to the Rams' 30-yard line, setting up Adam Vinatieri, who won the game with a 48-yard field goal as time expired, giving the Patriots their first Super Bowl win.[271][272] Brady was selectedSuper Bowl MVP.[272]
The Patriots' victory parade in Boston was attended by approximately 1.2 million fans.[273] During the offseason, Brady signed a long-term contract with the team and Bledsoe was traded to theBuffalo Bills for a 1st-round pick in the2003 NFL draft.[274][275]
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While owning the Patriots, Robert Kraft attempted to build a new stadium.[276] In 1998, Kraft came close to a deal with theMassachusetts Legislature to build a new stadium adjacent to the old stadium, with the state providing $75 million for infrastructure improvements.[276] However, Massachusetts House SpeakerTom Finneran refused to support the bill and the deal failed.[277] Afterwards, Kraft reached a deal withConnecticut GovernorJohn G. Rowland to build a new stadium inHartford, Connecticut.[276] However, after the stadium plan was approved by theConnecticut General Assembly,[277] problems were discovered with the proposed site that would delay construction.[278] At this time, the NFL announced loan incentives where teams could borrow money from the league to build new stadiums.[279]
In 1999, Kraft announced that he was abandoning the Hartford stadium project.[280] Kraft reached a deal with the Massachusetts legislature for infrastructure improvements around the stadium.[281] The stadium received approval from the citizens of Foxborough for the new stadium.[282] The naming rights to the stadium were originally purchased byCMGi, ane-commerce company based in nearbyWaltham, Massachusetts.[283] CMGi Corporation sold the naming rights to Boston-basedGillette.[283]
Following their victory inSuper Bowl XXXVI, the Patriots won their first game in the newGillette Stadium in the NFL's prime-timeMonday Night Football opener against thePittsburgh Steelers.[284] After three wins to begin the season, including a 44–7 road win against thedivision rivalNew York Jets,[285] the team lost five of its next seven games.[286] In the final week of the season, the Patriots defeated theMiami Dolphins on an overtimeAdam Vinatieri field goal to give both teams a 9–7 record.[287] The Jets also finished with a 9–7 record after a win over theGreen Bay Packers.[287] Due to their record, the Jets won the tiebreaker for the division title, which eliminated the Patriots and Dolphins from the playoffs.[288]
Days before the start of the season, safetyLawyer Milloy was released,[289] prompting second-guessing of head coachBill Belichick by fans. A report byESPN analystTom Jackson stated that Patriots players "hated their coach".[290] The accusation was later denied by players.[290] Milloy signed with theBuffalo Bills, who defeated the Patriots 31–0 in the season opener.[290] After starting with a 2–2 record, the Patriots didn't lose another game.[291][292]
The Patriots had the NFL's best record at 14–2 and earned the top seed in the AFC2003–04 playoffs, earninghome-field advantage.[293] Their opponent in the divisional playoffs was theTennessee Titans.[294] Played in a temperature of 8 °F (−13 °C), the Patriots and Titans played close untilAdam Vinatieri kicked the go-ahead field goal with 4 minutes left.[295] An incompleteSteve McNair pass on 4th down with 1:40 left won the game 17–14 for New England.[295] The Patriots faced theIndianapolis Colts for theAFC Championship and won 24–14.[296] The Patriots returned to the Super Bowl, facing theCarolina Panthers.[296]
The first half ofSuper Bowl XXXVIII was a defensive battle between the teams.[297] The teams traded touchdowns late in the 2nd quarter, then more quick strikes by both teams made the score 14–10 Patriots at halftime.[298] The 3rd quarter was scoreless, but running backAntowain Smith scored on the first play of the 4th quarter to make it 21–10.[299] Carolina scored two more touchdowns, but failed to convert on both to take a 22–21 lead.[299] The Patriots played a trick pass to linebackerMike Vrabel, followed byKevin Faulk's run for a two-point conversion that put the Patriots up 29–22 with 2:51 left to play.[299] The Panthers drove downfield andRicky Proehl's late touchdown catch tied the game, 29–29 with 1:08 to play.[299] Brady led the Patriots on a drive and Vinatieri kicked a 41-yard field goal with four seconds left.[299] The Patriots won their second Super Bowl, 32–29, and Brady was once again named MVP.[297]
Following their Super Bowl win, the Patriots traded a second-round draft pick forCincinnati Bengals' running backCorey Dillon, who replacedAntowain Smith.[300] The Patriots set the NFL record for consecutive regular season victories after winning their first six games of the season.[301] During a loss to thePittsburgh Steelers on October 31, cornerbackTy Law was injured.[302] Combined with the loss of other starting cornerbackTyrone Poole two weeks earlier, the Patriots completed the regular season and playoffs with second-year cornerbackAsante Samuel, undrafted free agentRandall Gay, and wide receiverTroy Brown at cornerback.[303][304][305]
With a 14–2 record and the second seed in theAFCplayoffs,[306] the Patriots defeated theColts at home in the playoffs.[307] The Patriots then defeated the top-seededSteelers on the road, 41–27, in the AFC Championship Game.[308] The Patriots' defeated thePhiladelphia Eagles inSuper Bowl XXXIX 24–21 in their second straight Super Bowl victory.[309] As of 2024[update], the 2003–2004 New England Patriots were the most recent back-to-back NFL champions until the 2023-2024 Kansas City Chiefs.[310]
Two weeks after winningSuper Bowl XXXIX, linebackerTedy Bruschi suffered astroke.[311] Also during the off-season cornerbackTy Law was released.[312] During Week 3,Rodney Harrison was injured and didn't play for the rest of the season.[313] Beginning the season with a 4–4 record, the Patriots lost their first game at home since2002 against theSan Diego Chargers in Week 4.[314] Bruschi returned to the field against theBuffalo Bills on October 31.[315] The team ended the season on a 5–1 run to finish 10–6, earning their third straightAFC East title.[316] With the #4 seed in theAFCplayoffs, the Patriots defeated theJacksonville Jaguars 28–3 in the wild-card round.[317] The Patriots fell to theDenver Broncos 27–13 on the road in the Divisional Playoffs, committing five turnovers in the game.[318]
The Patriots entered the2006 season without their two starting wide receivers from2005;David Givens left in free agency[319] andDeion Branch was traded to Seattle after a contract hold out.[320] They were replaced byReche Caldwell andJabar Gaffney.[321][322] Losses in November ended the team's streak of 57 games without consecutive losses, three games shy of the NFL record.[323] With a 12–4 record and their fourth straight division title, the Patriots entered theplayoffs as the #4 seed, defeating theNew York Jets 37–16 in the Wild Card game of the playoffs.[324][325] A 24–21 win over the top-seededSan Diego Chargers on the road set the Patriots up to face theIndianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship.[326] Despite a 21–3 lead in the 2nd quarter, the Patriots stumbled down the stretch and the Colts emerged with a 38–34 victory.[327]
In 2007, the Patriots addedDonte' Stallworth, a free agent, and traded forWes Welker andRandy Moss.[328][329] Welker led the NFL in receptions in 2007, and Moss set an NFL record with 23 touchdown catches.[330][331] In September, head coachBill Belichick and the Patriots were penalized by the NFL for videotaping opponents' defensive signals from an unauthorized location during their Week 1 game against theNew York Jets.[332] The press called this situationSpygate.[332] Belichick was fined $500,000, the maximum allowed under league rules, and the Patriots were fined $250,000 and required to forfeit their first round pick in the 2008 draft.[333]
The Patriots won the AFC East before their eleventh game, the fourth time since the NFL introduced the 16-game schedule in1978 that a team won a division title by its eleventh game.[334] The Patriots finished the regular season with the first 16–0 record in NFL history.[335] During the game, Brady and Moss connected on two touchdown passes, with Moss setting his 23-touchdown record and Brady setting a then-NFL record with 50 touchdown passes on the season.[336] It was the first undefeated regular season in the NFL since the1972 Miami Dolphins finished 14–0.[336] Tom Brady earned his firstNFL MVP award, while the Patriots' offense broke multiple records, including those for points scored and total touchdowns.[337][338]
With the #1 seed in theAFCplayoffs,[339] the Patriots defeated both theJacksonville Jaguars 31–20 andSan Diego Chargers 21–12 before advancing toSuper Bowl XLII.[340][341] The Patriots had the chance for a perfect 19–0 season with a victory over theNew York Giants and analysts saw the 2007 Patriots as being the greatest team in NFL history.[342]
Despite being Super Bowl favorites, the Patriots faltered against aGiants drive late in the fourth quarter.[343] Adramatic pass fromEli Manning toDavid Tyree put the Giants deep in Patriots territory, and a Manning touchdown pass toPlaxico Buress gave the Giants a 17–14 lead with 35 seconds left.[343][344][345]
In the 2008 season opener, quarterbackTom Brady suffered a serious knee injury and missed the remainder of the season.[346] Backup quarterbackMatt Cassel replaced Brady.[347] During Cassel's first start in Week 2 he led the Patriots to a win, which extended the team's regular-season winning streak record to 21 games.[348]
The Dolphins, Ravens and Patriots all finished the season with identical 11–5 records.[349] Miami qualified for the playoffs by winning the AFC East division over the Patriots on the fourth divisional tiebreaker.[349] Baltimore qualified for the playoffs as a wild card team, defeating the Patriots on the second wild card tiebreaker.[349]
During the offseason, the Patriots' offseason made a number of front office, coaching, and personnel changes. Vice President of Player PersonnelScott Pioli departed to become the general manager of theKansas City Chiefs.[350] Offensive coordinatorJosh McDaniels was hired as the head coach of theDenver Broncos.[351] QuarterbackMatt Cassel, was traded to the Chiefs along with veteran linebackerMike Vrabel in March.[352] Defensive startersTedy Bruschi andRodney Harrison both retired,[353][354] whileAll-Pro defensive endRichard Seymour was traded to theOakland Raiders for a 1st-round pick in the2011 NFL draft.[355]
In the2009 season opener onMonday Night Football, the Patriots celebrated their 50th season with anAmerican Football League "legacy game" against theBuffalo Bills.[356] Down 11 points late in the 4th quarter, the Patriots scored two touchdowns, winning the game.[356] It was also Brady's first game back after his injury in the 2008 opener.[357] In November, the 6–2 Patriots traveled to face the undefeatedIndianapolis Colts; with a six-point lead late in the 4th quarter, the Patriots tried to convert a4th and 2 situation inside their own 30-yard line but failed, setting up a Colts touchdown and the Patriots' third loss of theseason.[358] After losing two of their next three games, the Patriots went on to win three in a row to secure a division title.[359][360] With the #3 seed in theAFC playoffs,[361] the Patriots faced theBaltimore Ravens at home in the Wild Card Playoffs.[362] The Ravens opened up a 24–0 lead in the 1st quarter, and the Patriots ended their season with a 33–14 loss.[362]
The Patriots went into2010 without either a named offensive or defensive coordinator following the departure of defensive coordinatorDean Pees.[363] After beatingCincinnati in the season opener, they lost 28–14 to the Jets.[364][365] They finished the season 14–2.[366] By defeating the Bills in Week 16, New England swept that team for the sixth consecutive season, along with earning another AFC East title and the #1 seed.[366][367]Tom Brady finished the regular season with an NFL-record 335 consecutive pass attempts without an interception, while the Patriots committed an NFL-record low 10 turnovers on the season.[368][369]
The Patriots were favored to go toSuper Bowl XLV, but lost to the Jets team in the divisional playoffs.[370]
During the 2010 off-season, the Patriots drafted Arkansas quarterbackRyan Mallett.[371] The team also made two trades for defensive linemanAlbert Haynesworth and wide receiverChad Ochocinco.[372][373]
In the first game of the 2011 season, the Patriots played theMiami Dolphins onMonday Night Football, and New England won 38–24.[374] Brady set a personal single-game record with 517 passing yards, highlighted by an NFL record-tying 99-yard touchdown reception byWes Welker.[374] They beat theSan Diego Chargers in Week 2 in their home opener,[375] but their 15-game win streak against theBuffalo Bills ended whenTom Brady threw four interceptions, and the Patriots lost 34–31 on a last-second field goal.[376][377] The team then won three games in a row.[378][379][380] During the Patriots' bye in Week 7, an incident occurred where tight endRob Gronkowski was seen in a photo with an adult film actress wearing his game shirt.[381] Following a 25–17 loss to thePittsburgh Steelers,[382] wide receiverJulian Edelman was arrested for indecent assault following an incident in a Back Bay nightclub onHalloween.[383] The Patriots won their last eight games to take the top seed in the AFC playoffs.[384]
After defeating theDenver Broncos 45–10 in the Divisional Game,[385] the Patriots won the AFC Championship Game over theBaltimore Ravens 23–20, after Ravens receiverLee Evans dropped a potential touchdown and kickerBilly Cundiff missed a game-tying 31-yard field goal attempt in the closing seconds.[386] The Patriots lost to the NFC championNew York Giants 21–17 inSuper Bowl XLVI.[387]
In their 2012 season opener, the Patriots defeated theTennessee Titans before losing at home to theArizona Cardinals.[388][389] In Week 3, New England lost to theBaltimore Ravens 30–28 on a last-second field goal.[390] The first three games of the season were officiated by replacement referees, as the regular referees were locked out during a contract dispute.[391] The replacement referees were criticized, and at the end of the Ravens game, Bill Belichick made contact with a referee as he was leaving the field to argue a call, which the league fined him for.[391][392] In Week 4, the Patriots defeated theBuffalo Bills 52–28.[393] After that, the Patriots went on the defeat theDenver Broncos 31–21, but lost to theSeattle Seahawks 24–23 the following week.[394][395] The Patriots then defeated theNew York Jets in overtime, 29–26, and continued on a seven-game win streak.[396][397] The Patriots ended the season as the #2 seed in the AFC.[398] The Patriots were given a bye week before they had to face theHouston Texans, who they defeated 41–28.[398][399] They then had faced the Baltimore Ravens and lost 28–13.[400]
The 2013 season saw turnover on the offensive side, as Wes Welker, signed a contract with the Denver Broncos,[401] and tight end Aaron Hernandez was released from the team due tolegal issues.[402] The Patriots opened the season 4–0 before losing to theCincinnati Bengals 13–6 in Week 5.[403] After a home win against theNew Orleans Saints in Week 6,[404] the Patriots fell to the rivalNew York Jets 30–27 on a convertedNick Folk field goal following an unsportsmanlike penalty to rookieChris Jones.[405] The team then had a pair of wins against theMiami Dolphins and thePittsburgh Steelers,[406][407] but lost 24–20 onMonday Night Football to theCarolina Panthers following the bye week on a controversial end-game interception byLuke Kuechly.[408][409] New England finished as the AFC East champions, earning the No. 2 seed and a first round bye.[410]
In 2014, the Patriots finished 12–4 and won their sixth straight AFC East title.[411] They were the top seed, had a first round bye and had home field advantage for the AFC playoffs.[411]
The Patriots defeated theBaltimore Ravens 35–31 in the divisional round of the playoffs.[412] They then defeated theIndianapolis Colts 45–7 to advance toSuper Bowl XLIX against the defending Super Bowl championsSeattle Seahawks.[413] After a scoreless first quarter, both teams exchanged two touchdowns to make it 14–14 at halftime.[414] Seattle then scored a field goal and a touchdown to take a 10-point lead going into the final quarter.[414] The Patriots rallied, scoring two touchdowns to take a 28–24 lead with 2:02 remaining.[414] After the Seahawks drove all the way to the 1 yard line with under a minute to go, rookie cornerbackMalcolm Butler caught an interception on Seattle's final offensive play, winning the game for the Patriots.[414] Brady won his thirdSuper Bowl MVP award.[415]
The Patriots started the year 10–0, before losing onSunday Night Football to theDenver Broncos, 30–24 in overtime.[416] During the season, multiple players were injured; at one point nineteen players were placed on injured reserve.[417] At the end of the season, they earned a first round bye, with the second seed in the AFC.[418][419]
In the divisional round of the playoffs, the Patriots defeated theKansas City Chiefs, 27–20.[420] Advancing to theAFC Championship game, the Patriots were matched up against the top-seeded Broncos.[421] The final game in theTom Brady–Peyton Manning rivalry was a defensive struggle.[422] The Broncos beat the Patriots 20–18 and advanced toSuper Bowl 50.[422]
Due to sanctions on the team stemming fromDeflategate,Tom Brady didn't play in the first four games of the 2016 season.[423] The Patriots used quarterbackJimmy Garoppolo, who helped the Patriots win their opening night game against theArizona Cardinals.[423] After a shoulder injury to Garoppolo in the second game of the season against theMiami Dolphins, rookie quarterbackJacoby Brissett entered the game and helped the Patriots win.[424] OnThursday Night Football, Brissett helped the Patriots secure a 27–0 shutout victory against theHouston Texans.[425] The Patriots lost their fourth game at home in a shutout to theBuffalo Bills.[426] Brady returned the following week and helped the Patriots win four games.[427][428] The Patriots closed the regular season winning seven straight games, along with their eighth consecutive division title and the #1 seed overall in the AFC.[429]
In the playoffs, the Patriots hosted the Texans in the divisional round.[430] The first half was tight, but the Patriots pulled away from Houston, winning 34–16.[430] In theAFC Championship game, the Patriots beat thePittsburgh Steelers 36–17 and advanced to the Super Bowl.[431]
On February 5, 2017, the Patriots faced theAtlanta Falcons, which includedNFL MVPMatt Ryan, inSuper Bowl LI.[432] Three bad quarters resulted in the Patriots being down 28–3.[433] The Patriots made a comeback withTom Brady going 43-for-62 with 466 yards, two touchdowns and one interception to help the Patriots tie the score 28–28 in the closing minutes of the game.[434] In the first overtime in Super Bowl history, the Patriots won the coin toss and elected to receive the ball.[434] Brady led the Patriots down the field, to the 1-yard line of the Falcons.[434] Running backJames White ran a toss into the end zone, giving the Patriots a 34–28 comeback victory and their second league title in three seasons.[434] Brady was namedSuper Bowl MVP for a record fourth time and surpassedJoe Montana andTerry Bradshaw with his fifth Super Bowl victory as a quarterback, the most all-time.[434][435]
The Patriots lost several players during the offseason, including halfbackLeGarrette Blount and cornerbackLogan Ryan.[436][437] To fill these vacancies, the Patriots signed cornerbackStephon Gilmore and running backsMike Gillislee andRex Burkhead.[438][439][440] They also traded a second round draft pick to theCarolina Panthers for defensive endKony Ealy.[441]
During their first game versus theKansas City Chiefs, the Chiefs beat them at home 42–27.[442] During the game, the Patriots' defense allowed 537 total yards.[443] The Patriots then beat theSaints andTexans.[444][445] After their loss at home to theCarolina Panthers,[446] the Patriots went 11–1 for the rest of the season, finishing 13–3.[447] In Week 15 atPittsburgh, the Patriots came back in the fourth quarter to take the lead, 27–24.[448] On the ensuing drive by the Steelers, a short pass fromBen Roethlisberger to wide receiverJuJu Smith-Schuster turned into a gain, leading the Steelers to the 10-yard line with 34 seconds left.[448][449] On Roethelisberger's next throw, tight endJesse James caught a potential game-winning touchdown, but it was overturned after a review where officials ruled that James lost control as the ball hit the ground.[449] The Patriots won 27–24, winning another AFC East title and #1 seed.[448][449]
After beating theTennessee Titans in the divisional round,[450] the Patriots faced theJacksonville Jaguars.[451] In the fourth quarter, Brady led the team back from a ten-point deficit to take the lead, 24–20.[451] The Patriots won and earned a trip to their eighth Super Bowl.[451] InSuper Bowl LII, Brady set a Super Bowl record with 505 yards passing.[452] Brady tried to lead a comeback to win the game in the fourth quarter, but defensive endBrandon Graham strip-sacked Brady, and the ball was recovered by the Eagles.[452][453] This, along with a failed last-second Hail Mary pass, resulted in the Patriots losing 41–33.[454]
During the offseason, the Patriots lost left tackleNate Solder,[455] right tackleCameron Fleming,[456] wide receiverBrandin Cooks,[457] starting running backDion Lewis, and cornerbackMalcolm Butler.[458] Also during the offseason, they added left tackleTrent Brown,[459] Bengals running backJeremy Hill,[460] and wide receiverCordarrelle Patterson.[461] The Patriots also drafted left tackleIsaiah Wynn and running backSony Michel in the first round.[462]
In September, the Patriots signedJosh Gordon.[463] During the Patriots week 5 game against theIndianapolis Colts Brady became the third Quarterback to throw 500 touchdowns in his career.[464] The Patriots had a six-game winning streak until losing at theTennessee Titans in Week 10.[465] In weeks 14 and 15, the team had back-to-back losses against theDolphins andSteelers, both on the road.[466][467] In late December, the Patriots lost Gordon, who left for health reasons.[468] They finished the season with an 11–5 record and a first-round bye.[469]
The Patriots beat theLos Angeles Chargers in the divisional round, routing them 41–28, with rookieSony Michel scoring 3 times on rushing touchdowns.[470] In the AFC Championship, they faced theChiefs on the road.[471] The Patriots had a 14–0 lead at halftime.[472] Mahomes was able to rally back the Chiefs to a 21–17 lead in the 4th.[473] The score went back and forth until the Chiefs kicked a field goal, sending the game to overtime at 31–31.[474] The Patriots won the coin toss and Brady drove the Patriots down the field to score aRex Burkhead rushing touchdown resulting in a 37–31 victory.[474]
InSuper Bowl LIII in Atlanta, the Patriots faced off against theLos Angeles Rams.[475] The game remained tied 3–3 until the 4th quarter, when Brady and Gronkowski completed two long passes to put the Patriots inside the Rams 5 yard line, where Sony Michel would score the game's only touchdown, winning the game 13–3.[475][476] Wide receiverJulian Edelman was named Super Bowl MVP, with 10 catches for 141 yards.[477] The sixth Super Bowl victory tied the Patriots with the Steelers for most all time.[478]
Prior to the season, Tom Brady signed a two-year extension worth $70 million, but also allowed him to become a free agent after the 2019 season.[479][480] On September 9, 2019, the Patriots signed Pro Bowl wide receiverAntonio Brown, whom was released by theOakland Raiders following several off-the-field controversies, and a signing which some compared to theRandy Moss trade in 2007. Brown would last only one game with New England, getting released on September 22, 2019 due to more off-the-field issues. New England started the season with an 8–0 record.[481] The streak ended with a loss to the Baltimore Ravens.[482] The team won its 11th consecutive AFC East division title after a 24–17 win against the Buffalo Bills in Week 16, but New England didn't get a first-round bye for the playoffs.[483][484][485]
The Patriots were the #3 seed in the AFC playoffs,[483] but lost to theTitans at home during the wild card round 20–13.[486] This was Brady's last game with the Patriots.[487] On March 17, 2020, Brady announced that he would not re-sign with the Patriots.[487] On March 20, 2020, Brady signed a two-year, $50-million deal with theTampa Bay Buccaneers.[488][489] On April 21, 2020, the Patriots traded the rights to retired tight endRob Gronkowski to the Buccaneers along with a seventh-round pick in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the2020 NFL draft.[490]
Prior to the season, the Patriots announced a uniform change, opting to go with their formerNFL Color Rush jerseys as their new home uniforms with a corresponding white uniform with blue pants as their road outfits. Both uniforms featured truncated shoulder striping as a nod to the "Pat Patriot" uniforms.[491][492] FormerCarolina Panthers quarterback,2011 NFL draft first overall pick, and2015 NFL season MVPCam Newton was announced as New England's new starting quarterback prior to the season.[493] In addition, several veteran players such asPatrick Chung,Brandon Bolden,Marcus Cannon, andDont'a Hightower opted out of the season due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[494][495] Later in the Season, 3 other major players as Gunner, Burkhead, & Edelman, were injured who were instrumental in winning earlier, games.
After theBuffalo Bills beat thePittsburgh Steelers in week 14, the Patriots were out of contention for the AFC East championship.[496] They were also eliminated from playoff contention with the loss to the Dolphins in week 15.[497] This was only the 4th time since2000 the Patriots had missed the playoffs and failed to win the division.[498][499] Cam Newton and Brian Hoyer ended their Season going 7–9. In addition, their streak of 10+ win seasons that dated back to their2003 Super Bowl-winning season, which was an NFL record, was also snapped.[500]
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The 2021 season started with the Patriots signing eleven free agents from other teams on the same day, includingHunter Henry,Nelson Agholor,Jonnu Smith, andMatthew Judon.[501]
On August 31, 2021, the Patriots released Newton during final preseason roster cuts. As a result, rookieMac Jones became the starting quarterback for the team. The Patriots started the season 2–4, but went on to win seven consecutive games, battling Buffalo for the division crown throughout the season. New England finished the season 10–7 in the first NFL season with 17 games, clinching the #6 seed in the playoffs, their first without Brady since 1998. They would lose to the Bills 47–17 in the wild-card round, their worst playoff loss under Belichick.[502] Despite the playoff loss, Jones broke several rookie quarterback records for the team.[503]
Following a mildly successful 2021 season, Jones and the Patriots failed to repeat their success in the following two years. The Patriots wound up missing the playoffs in 2022 due to several close losses, including a walk-off loss to theLas Vegas Raiders due to a failed lateral pass play now known as theLunatic Lateral. In 2023, Jones struggled noticeably and was replaced byBailey Zappe by the end of the year, while the Patriots as a whole stumbled to a 4–13 record, their worst under Belichick. Shortly after the final game of 2023, Belichick and the Patriots mutually parted ways on January 11, 2024, after a series of poor decisions in his final years as general manager regarding offensive personnel, which culminated in a sharp decline of offensive production following the 2021 season.[504]
One day after Belichick stepped down, the Patriots promoted the pair ofJerod Mayo, then-current linebackers coach and former player, andEliot Wolf, director of scouting and son of Pro Football Hall of Fame general managerRon Wolf, as first-time head coach and first-timede facto general manager to each succeed Belichick's duties.[505] Mac Jones, after three seasons as the incumbent starter, was traded in the 2024 offseason due to his insufficient play.[506] The post-Belichick era was kickstarted during the2024 NFL draft, with the franchise selectingDrake Maye third overall, the highest draft pick held by the Patriots in 31 years up to that point.[507] 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".[508][509]
The 2025 Patriots offseason which saw a major overhaul of the team's coaching staff which saw 14 new coaches including former Titans coachMike Vrabel being hired as head coach,Josh McDaniels returning asoffensive coordinator for a third stint with the team, andLionsdefensive line coach/run game coordinatorTerrell Williams being installed asdefensive coordinator (though during the season Inside linebackers coach Zak Kuhr would call defensive plays due to Williams undergoing treatment for prostate cancer),[510] and a number of assistant coaching changes.[511][512] During the first 8 weeks of the 2025 season, the Patriots had a 6–2 start, which is their best since 2019.
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