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New England Patriots history & legends
The Patriots began play in 1960 as the Boston Patriots, a charter member of the American Football League, and became the New England Patriots in 1971. After decades of ups and downs, they built the most dominant dynasty of the modern NFL. The Patriots compete in the AFC East.
Super Bowl history
New England has won six Super Bowls, all with quarterback Tom Brady and coach Bill Belichick. The run began with an upset of the St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI, won on an Adam Vinatieri field goal, and continued with titles in Super Bowl XXXVIII, Super Bowl XXXIX, Super Bowl XLIX, Super Bowl LI and Super Bowl LIII. Super Bowl LI included the largest comeback in Super Bowl history, as New England rallied from 28-3 down to beat the Atlanta Falcons in overtime. The 2007 Patriots went 16-0 in the regular season before losing Super Bowl XLII to the New York Giants. After the 2025 season, New England made a surprise return to the Super Bowl but fell to the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX.
Best players in Patriots history
- Tom Brady – Six-time Super Bowl champion with New England and widely considered the greatest quarterback of all time.
- Rob Gronkowski – Dominant tight end and one of the best ever at his position.
- John Hannah – Hall of Fame guard often ranked among the best offensive linemen in history.
- Andre Tippett – Hall of Fame pass-rushing linebacker.
- Ty Law – Hall of Fame cornerback whose pick-six sparked the Super Bowl XXXVI upset.
- Richard Seymour – Hall of Fame defensive lineman from the first three title teams.
- Adam Vinatieri – Clutch kicker who won two Super Bowls with last-second field goals.
- Tedy Bruschi and Julian Edelman – Fan favorites and key pieces of multiple championship teams.
Biggest rivalries
The New York Jets are New England’s fiercest AFC East rival, with the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins rounding out the division. The Brady vs. Peyton Manning era also made the Indianapolis Colts one of the biggest rivalries of the 2000s, and two Super Bowl meetings have tied New England to the Seattle Seahawks.
