New England Patriots are a professional football team that plays in the National Football League (NFL). The team competes in the East Division of the American Football Conference. New England plays its home games at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston.
New England began play in 1960 as an original member of the American Football League (AFL). The team was first called the Boston Patriots. In 1970, the Patriots entered the National Football League when the NFL and AFL merged. The team changed its name to the New England Patriots in 1971. In 2004, the Patriots won their 21st consecutive game before losing, breaking the NFL record of 18 straight victories shared by five teams. In the 17 seasons from 2003 to 2019, the Patriots won 10 or more games every season and won their division 16 times.
The Patriots have appeared in a record 11 Super Bowls, winning 6 of them. The Patriots defeated the St. Louis Rams (now Los Angeles Rams) in Super Bowl XXXVI (played in 2002) in one of the biggest upsets in NFL history. The Patriots also won Super Bowl XXXVIII (played in 2004) and Super Bowl XXXIX (played in 2005). The 2007 Patriots had one of the greatest regular seasons in NFL history. The team became the first to win 16 regular season games without a loss. However, the Patriots were upset by the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLVII for the Patriot’s only loss of the season.
In 2015, the Patriots won Super Bowl XLIX. In April 2015, the NFL accused quarterback Tom Brady and the Patriots of illegally deflating footballs used in the American Conference championship game in January 2015. The league suspended Brady for part of the 2016 season, fined the team, and stripped the Patriots of draft selections in upcoming drafts. In 2017, the Patriots won Super Bowl LI. New England made the biggest comeback in the history of the game, overcoming a 25-point deficit to win in the first overtime in Super Bowl history. The Patriots also won Super Bowl LIII (played in 2019). With six Super Bowl victories, Bill Belichick, who coached the Patriots from 2000 to 2024, has won more Super Bowls than any other coach in NFL history. The Patriots and the Pittsburgh Steelers are the only NFL teams to win six Super Bowls.
New England Patriots legends have included tackle Bruce Armstrong (1987-2000), place-kicker and wide receiver Gino Cappelletti (1960-1970), quarterback Steve Grogan (1975-1990), guard John Hannah (1973-1985), and linebacker Andre Tippett (1982-1993). Recent stars have included Tom Brady, wide receiver Julian Edelman, tight end Rob Gronkowski, guard Logan Mankins, and defensive tackle Vince Wilfork.
