New England Patriots
| New England Patriots | |||
 Current season |
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| Established 1959 Play in and headquartered in Gillette Stadium Foxborough, Massachusetts |
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| League/conference affiliations | |||
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American Football League (1960–69)
National Football League (1970–present)
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| Current uniform | |||
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| Team colors | Nautical Blue, New Century Silver, Red, White
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| Mascot | Pat Patriot | ||
| Personnel | |||
| Owner(s) | Robert Kraft | ||
| Chairman | Robert Kraft | ||
| CEO | Robert Kraft | ||
| President | Jonathan Kraft | ||
| Head coach | Bill Belichick | ||
| Team history | |||
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| Team nicknames | |||
| "The Pats" | |||
| Championships | |||
| League championships (3) | |||
| Conference championships (7) | |||
| Division championships (14) | |||
| Playoff appearances (19) | |||
| Home fields | |||
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The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats," are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). The team changed its name from the original Boston Patriots after relocating to Foxborough in 1971, although Foxborough is a suburb of Boston, 22 miles (35 km) away.
An original member of the American Football League (AFL), the Patriots joined the NFL in the 1970 merger of those leagues. The team advanced to the playoffs four times before appearing in Super Bowl XX in January 1986, losing to the Chicago Bears. The team also appeared in Super Bowl XXXI in January 1997, losing to the Green Bay Packers.
In the 2000s, the Patriots became one of the most successful teams in NFL history. They are third in appearances in a Super Bowl with seven (the Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys each have 8), and have the most appearances in the last 25 years. Between 2001–2010, the Patriots set a record for most wins in a decade (126, different from conventionally bounded decades, 2000–2009, 1990–1999, etc.; this record references any ten-year stretch; 2nd is the 1984–1993 San Francisco 49ers, with 120 wins). Between 2001 and 2005, the Patriots became the second team in NFL history (after the Dallas Cowboys) to win three Super Bowls in four years (Super Bowl XXXVI, XXXVIII, and XXXIX), and the eighth (and most recent) to win consecutive Super Bowls. The Patriots, however, were defeated by the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII, after winning the first 18 games of their 2007 season. They were defeated again by the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLVI. Under quarterback Tom Brady and head coach Bill Belichick, the Patriots have also compiled the longest winning streak consisting of regular season and playoff games in NFL history, a 21-game streak from October 2003 – October 2004.
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Franchise history
On November 16, 1959, Boston business executive Billy Sullivan was awarded the eighth and final franchise of the developing American Football League (AFL). The following winter, locals were allowed to submit ideas for the Boston football team's official name. The most popular choice—and the one that Sullivan selected—was "Boston Patriots". Immediately thereafter, The Boston Globe artist Phil Bissell developed the "Pat Patriot" logo.[1]
The Patriots' time in the AFL saw them struggle most years as they never had a regular home stadium. Nickerson Field, Harvard Stadium, Fenway Park, and Alumni Stadium all served as home fields during their time in the American Football League. They did play in one AFL championship game, following the 1963 season. They lost to the San Diego Chargers 51–10. They would not appear again in an AFL or NFL post-season game for another 13 years.[1]
When the NFL and AFL merged in 1970, the Patriots were placed in the AFC East division, where they still play today. The following year, the Patriots moved to a new stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, which would serve as their home for 30 years. As a result of the move, they announced they would change their name from the Boston Patriots to the Bay State Patriots. The name was rejected by the NFL and on March 23, 1971, the team officially announced they would become the New England Patriots.
During the 1970s, the Patriots had some success, earning a berth to the playoffs in 1976—as a wild card-team—and in 1978—as AFC East champions. They lost in the first round both times. In 1985, they returned to the playoffs, and made it all the way to Super Bowl XX, which they lost to the Chicago Bears 46–10. Following their Super Bowl loss, they returned to the playoffs in 1986, but lost in the first round. The team would not make the playoffs again for eight more years. During the 1990 season, the Patriots went 1-15. They changed ownership three times, being purchased from the Sullivan family first by Victor Kiam in 1988, who sold the team to James Orthwein in 1992. Orthwein intended to move the team to his native St. Louis, Missouri, but sold the team two years later to current owner Robert Kraft in 1994.[1]
Though Orthwein's period as owner was short and controversial, he did oversee major changes to the team, first with the hiring of former New York Giants coach Bill Parcells in 1993. Also a change was made that same year to the Patriots uniforms, changing their primary colors from their traditional red and white to blue and silver, and introducing a new logo.[2] Parcells would bring the Patriots to two playoff appearances, including Super Bowl XXXI, which they lost to the Green Bay Packers by a score of 35–21. Pete Carroll, Parcells's successor, would also take the team to the playoffs twice in 1997 & 1998 before being dismissed as head coach after the 1999 season.[1]
The Patriots' current coach Bill Belichick was hired in 2000, and a new home field, Gillette Stadium was opened in 2002. Under Belichick, the team won three Super Bowls in four years, and finished the 2007 regular season with a perfect 16–0 record, becoming only the fourth team in league history to go undefeated in the regular season, and the only one since the league expanded its regular season schedule to 16 games.[1] After advancing to Super Bowl XLII, the team's fourth Super Bowl in seven years, the Patriots were defeated by the Giants to end their bid for a 19–0 season. With the loss, the Patriots ended the year at 18–1, becoming only one of three teams to go 18–1 along with the 1984 San Francisco 49ers and the 1985 Chicago Bears. Those teams, however, won the Super Bowl.
Season-by-season records
- This is a partial list of the last five seasons completed by the Patriots. For the full season-by-season franchise results, see List of New England Patriots seasons.
| Super Bowl Champions (2001–present) | Conference Champions | Division Champions | Wild Card Berth |
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Season Team League Conference Division Regular Season Post Season Results Awards Finish Won Lost Ties 2007 2007 NFL AFC * East § 1st § 16 0 0 Won Divisional Playoffs (Jaguars) 31–20
Won Conference Championship (Chargers) 21–12
Lost Super Bowl XLII (Giants) 17–14Bill Belichick (NFL COY)[3]
Tom Brady (NFL MVP)[4]
Tom Brady (NFL Off. POTY)[5]2008 2008 NFL AFC East 2nd[k] 11 5 0 Jerod Mayo (Def. ROY)[6] 2009 2009 NFL AFC East § 1st § 10 6 0 Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Ravens) 33–14 Tom Brady (CBPOY)[7] 2010 2010 NFL AFC East § 1st § 14 2 0 Lost Divisional Playoffs (Jets) 28–21 Bill Belichick (NFL COY)[3]
Tom Brady (NFL MVP)[8]
Tom Brady (NFL Off. POTY)[9]2011 2011 NFL AFC * East § 1st § 13 3 0 Won Divisional Playoffs (Broncos) 45–10
Won Conference Championship (Ravens) 23–20
Lost Super Bowl XLVI (Giants) 21–17Total 414 365 9 (1960–2011, includes only regular season) 23 16 — (1960–2011,[l] includes only playoffs)[10] 437 381 9 (1960–2010, includes both regular season and playoffs)
Records
| Leader | Player | Record Number | Years on Patriots |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passing | Tom Brady | 39,979 passing yards | 2000–present |
| Rushing | Sam Cunningham | 5,453 rushing yards | 1973–1982 |
| Receiving | Stanley Morgan | 10,352 receiving yards | 1977–1989 |
| Coaching Wins | Bill Belichick | 139 wins | 2000–present |
Rivalries
In their history the Patriots' longest rivalries have been with eight of the nine other teams that played them in the American Football League in the 1960s. The closest geographically has been the rivalry with the New York Jets, who have also been members of the AFC East since its inception in 1970 and played each other in the same division since both teams' foundings in 1960. The rivalry between the Jets and Patriots has escalated since 1996, when Patriots head coach Bill Parcells left the Patriots under controversy to become the head coach of the Jets; he was replaced by former Jets coach Pete Carroll. Four years later Carroll was fired, and Parcells' assistant, Bill Belichick, resigned the day he was named the Jets' head coach to become the head coach of the Patriots. Six years after that, Eric Mangini, an assistant under Belichick, became the head coach of the Jets.
Meanwhile, the rise of quarterbacks Tom Brady and Peyton Manning in the early 2000s led to an increased rivalry between Manning's Indianapolis Colts and Brady's Patriots. The teams met three times in four years (2003, 2004, 2006) in the playoffs, with the winner going on to win that season's Super Bowl each time.
Other rivalries over the years have included divisional foes in the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins. The Patriots defeated the Bills 26-8 in a 1963 divisional playoff for the two clubs' only playoff showdown entering 2012. The Bills dominated the rivalry during their O.J. Simpson era (11-5 in Simpson's career in Buffalo) and also in the four-year run of Buffalo Super Bowl appearences, while the Patriots dominated the Bill Belichick era, winning 21 of the first 24 matchups in the Belichick era.
The rivalry between the Patriots and Dolphins involves the two clubs most associated with the quest for perfection, as the 1972 Dolphins posted a perfect season and the 2007 Patriots came within a minute of doing likewise. The Dolphins won 30 matchups during the career of coach Don Shula while Dan Marino won eighteen meetings with New England. The Patriots won fourteen of the first 19 meetings in the Tom Brady era while Matt Cassel was 1-1 in his 2008 season as Patriots quarterback. Cassel's season with New England saw the Dolphins debut the Wildcat formation in a 38-13 Miami win at Foxboro in September 2008; the Patriots won the season rematch that November in Miami 48-28.
During the reign of coaches Bill Parcells, Pete Carroll, and Bill Belichick a bitter rivalry developed with the Pittsburgh Steelers; the Patriots defeated the Steelers in the 1996 AFC Divisional playoff round; the Steelers triumphed in the divisional round in 1997, then the Patriots defeated the Steelers for the AFC Championship in 2001 and 2004.
Also during the Belichick reign a major rivalry developed with the San Diego Chargers. The two clubs were founding members of the AFL in 1960; the Chargers defeated the Patriots in the 1963 AFL Championship game while the Patriots defeated San Diego in the 2006 AFC Divisional playoff game and the 2007 AFC Championship Game. In 2001 former Patriot Doug Flutie led the Chargers to Foxboro but in his third start Tom Brady led a dramatic comeback for a 29-26 overtime Patriots win.
Some older rivalries that have cooled over the years include the Denver Broncos and the Oakland Raiders; as with San Diego both rivalries date to the American Football League. The rivalry with the Raiders reached an apex in the 2001 Tuck Rule Game that sent the Patriots to the 2001 AFC Championship Game. Prior to 2001 the rivalry was known for the 1976 "Ben Dreith" playoff game, the 1978 preseason game that paralyzed Patriots receiver Darryl Stingley for life, and the 1985 AFC Divisional playoff win by the Patriots.
The rivalry with the Broncos was tight in the AFL era and the 1970s, then was monopolized by John Elway, a perfect 11-0 against New England. The rivalry produced playoff wins for Denver in 1986 and 2005, but in 2011 the rivalry picked up with the ascension of quarterback Tim Tebow to national prominence.[11] The Patriots defeated the Broncos 41-23 in the 2011 regular season, then won 45-10 in the AFC Divisional playoff round.
Other lesser-known rivalries include the Houston Oilers-Tennessee Titans, the Baltimore Ravens, and Kansas City Chiefs. The Titans and Chiefs rivalries both date to the beginning of the AFL as all three clubs were founding members of the league. The rivalry with the Chiefs has generally not been dominated by either team, with Kansas City's five-game win streak spanning 1967-73 being the longest streak by either team. The rivalry is best known for Week One of 2008 when safety Bernard Pollard caught Tom Brady on a pass play and seriously injured Brady's knee, knocking him out for the season. The highest-scoring game in the rivalry came in 2002, a 41-38 overtime Patriots win.
The Patriots and Oilers were AFL division rivals and met in the 1978 AFC Divisional playoff round, the Oilers winning 31-14. The rivalry reached a new bitterness when the Oilers moved to Tennessee. The Patriots edged the Oilers in September 1998 in the club's final season under the Oilers name. Four years after being renamed the Titans they defeated the Patriots 24-7. The Patriots triumphed in a 38-30 game in October 2003 and then edged the Titans 17-14 in the 2003 AFC Divisional playoff round in bitter cold. Their 2006 game (a 40-23 Patriots win) saw controversy between linebacker Tedy Bruschi and Titans coach Jeff Fisher following injury to safety Rodney Harrison and the bitterness spilled into an August 2007 preseason game between the two (won 27-24 by the Titans).[12] October 2009 then saw a 59-0 massacre by the Patriots in an unexpected snowstorm as the Patriots broke or tied multiple league and team scoring records.[13]
The rivalry with the Ravens began in the Ravens' first season in a 46-38 Patriots win. The rivalry resumed a football rivalry between the New England region and Baltimore that had been discontinued since the March 1984 move of the Colts to Indianapolis. The rivalry has been one-sided, with the Patriots winning the first six regular-season meetings. The rivalry began picking up steam in 2007 when the Patriots erased a late Ravens lead on Monday Night Football to preserve their run to perfection. Following a 27-21 New England win in October 2009, the Ravens crushed the Patriots 33-14 in the 2009 AFC Wildcard playoff. The Patriots won in overtime 23-20 in the two teams' 2010 regular-season meeting, then the Patriots edged the Ravens 23-20 in the 2011 AFC Championship Game, winning on a missed field goal attempt by the Ravens in the game's final seconds. The game was also known as Bernard Pollard was once again involved in a play that injured a key Patriots player; a tackle of tight end Rob Gronkowski left Gronkowski with a leg injury that hobbled him in Super Bowl XLVI.
The Patriots most well-known interconference rivalry is with the New York Giants. The Giants defeated the Patriots in Super Bowls XLII (derailing their 2007 push to a perfect season) and XLVI; the combined score of the two games was 38-31. The Patriots' two most memorable wins over the Giants came in a December 1996 comeback win 23-22 (where the Patriots erased a 22-0 gap) and the 2007 New England Patriots-New York Giants game.
The Patriots have also seen memorable interconference games with the Carolina Panthers (whom they defeated 32-29 in Super Bowl XXXVIII), the Green Bay Packers (who defeated the Patriots 35-21 in Super Bowl XXXI), the St. Louis Rams (whom the Patriots defeated 20-17 in Super Bowl XXXVI), the Chicago Bears (who defeated the Patriots 46-10 in Super Bowl XX), and the Minnesota Vikings (the Patriots comeback win over the Vikings in 1994 proved to be the team's turning point in that season).
Strategy
Under head coach Bill Belichick, the Patriots have employed specific on-field and off-field strategies. On the field, the Patriots have typically utilized an "Erhardt-Perkins" offense and a "Fairbanks-Bullough" 3–4 defense, referred to commonly as a 2-gap 3–4 defensive system.[14] Their philosophy in making personnel decisions and in game planning has focused on the "team" concept,[15] stressing preparation, strong work ethic, versatility,[16] and lack of individual ego.[17] This approach, which led to three Super Bowl victories under Belichick, was analyzed in the 2004 book Patriot Reign.
When owner Robert Kraft purchased the team in 1994, he did so for $175 million. Since then, the Patriots have sold out every home game in both Foxboro Stadium and Gillette Stadium.[citation needed] By 2009, the value of the franchise had increased by over $1 billion, to a Forbes magazine estimated value of $1.361 billion, third highest in the NFL.[18][19][20] As of July 2011[update], the Patriots are the sixth most valuable sports franchise in world according to Forbes magazine.[21]
Stadium
Since 2002, the Patriots' home stadium has been Gillette Stadium, a $350 million facility privately financed by Kraft. It houses all administrative offices for the team and its owning entity, The Kraft Group, as well as the Kraft-owned Major League Soccer team, the New England Revolution. The field, which was originally natural grass, was replaced with a FieldTurf surface during the 2006 season. The area around the stadium was developed, beginning in 2007, into a $375 million "lifestyle and entertainment center" called Patriot Place; among its largest structures is a multi-floor restaurant and bar called CBS Scene.
Prior to 2002, the Patriots played in Foxboro Stadium dating back to 1971, the team's second year in the NFL after the AFL-NFL merger. During the team's days in the American Football League, the Boston Patriots were hosted by a number of fields in or around Boston - they played at Braves Field, Harvard Stadium, Fenway Park, and Alumni Stadium.
Notable players
Current roster
Hall of Famers and retired numbers
The New England Patriots feature 17 former players and one contributor in their team hall of fame, established in 1991. A committee of media and staff selected 11 players for enshrinement between 1991 and 2001, before a six-year span of no selections. In 2007, in advance of the 2008 opening of the Hall at Patriot Place, the Patriots introduced a new nomination committee to select three candidates, with the winner of an internet fan vote being enshrined in the hall of fame.[22] In order to be eligible, players and coaches must be retired for at least four years.[23] Beginning in 2011 and meeting every five years, a senior selection committee has the option of voting a player who has been retired for at least 25 seasons into the hall of fame.[24]
Former owner Billy Sullivan was inducted by owner Robert Kraft in March 2009, the Patriots' 50th season, as a contributor.[25]
Additionally, four former Patriots players have been enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Patriots have officially retired seven uniform numbers.
| New England Patriots Hall of Fame | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | |||||||||
| Number | Name | Positions | Seasons | Year elected | Number | Name | Positions | Seasons | Year elected |
| 73 | John Hannah | G | 1973–1985 | 1991 (Pro: 1991) | 56 | Andre Tippett | LB | 1982–1993 | 1999 (Pro: 2008) |
| 85 | Nick Buoniconti | LB | 1962–1968 | 1992 (Pro: 2001) | 78 | Bruce Armstrong | T | 1987–2000 | 2001 |
| 20 | Gino Cappelletti | WR-K | 1960–1970 | 1992 | 86 | Stanley Morgan | WR | 1977–1989 | 2007 |
| 89 | Bob Dee | DL | 1960–1967 | 1993 | 87 | Ben Coates | TE | 1991–1999 | 2008 |
| 79 | Jim Lee Hunt | DL | 1960–1971 | 1993 | 35 | Jim Nance | FB | 1965–1971 | 2009 |
| 57 | Steve Nelson | LB | 1974–1987 | 1993 | 39 | Sam Cunningham | RB | 1973–1982 | 2010 |
| 15 | Babe Parilli | QB | 1961–1967 | 1993 | 56 | Jon Morris | C | 1964–1974 | 2011 |
| 40 | Mike Haynes | CB | 1976–1982 | 1994 (Pro: 1997) | 11 | Drew Bledsoe | QB | 1993–2001 | 2011 |
| 14 | Steve Grogan | QB | 1975–1990 | 1995 | |||||
| Contributors | |||||||||
| Number | Name | Positions | Seasons | Year elected | Number | Name | Positions | Seasons | Year elected |
| – | Billy Sullivan | Owner & founder | 1960–1988 | 2009 | |||||
| Also enshrined in Pro Football Hall of Fame | |||||||||
| Uniform number officially retired by team | |||||||||
All-decade teams
1960s (AFL)
In November 1971, fans voted on a 10-year Patriots anniversary team, which coincided with the team's ten years in the then-defunct American Football League:[26] Additional selections for returner, special teamer, and coach were added in 2009:[27]
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1970s, 1980s, 1990s
In March 2009, as part of the Patriots' 50th anniversary, a group of local media and other team figures selected all-decade teams for the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s:[27]
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2000s
On March 16, 2010, the Patriots Hall of Fame selection committee selected an all-decade team for the 2000s:
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Anniversary teams
35th anniversary (1994)
In 1994, a group of local media selected a 35th anniversary team:[26]
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50th anniversary (2009)
In 2009, the Patriots Hall of Fame selection committee selected a 50th anniversary team:[26]
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All-time first-round draft picks
Coaches
Head coaches
Current staff
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New England Patriots staff
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Front Office
Head Coaches
Offensive Coaches
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Defensive Coaches
Special Teams Coaches
Strength and Conditioning
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Cheerleaders and mascot
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The Patriots NFL Cheerleaders are simply known as The Patriots Cheerleaders. In 2005, cheerleader Kristin Gauvin won Miss Massachusetts, in part from her local commitment with the Patriots.
The Patriots' mascot is Pat Patriot, a revolutionary minuteman wearing a Patriots home jersey.
During each game, about ten men dressed as minutemen line the back of each end zone. When the Patriots score a touchdown, field goal or point-after-touchdown, the militia behind the opposite end zone fire a round of blanks from flintlock muskets. ESPN writer Josh Pahigian named this one of the top ten celebrations in the league in 2007.[28]
Radio and television
The Patriots' flagship radio station is WBZ-FM 98.5 FM, owned by CBS Radio. The larger radio network is called the New England Patriots Radio Network, whose 37 affiliate stations span 7 states. Gil Santos and Gino Cappelletti are the longtime announcing team. Former Patriots QB Scott Zolak joined the radio team in the 2011 season as a sideline analyst.
Any preseason games not on national television are shown on CBS affiliate WBZ-TV. These games were broadcast on ABC affiliate WCVB-TV from 1995 until the change to WBZ in 2009. Don Criqui has been the play-by-play announcer the last several years, with Randy Cross as a color commentator and Mike Lynch as a sideline reporter. Lynch was replaced by WBZ reporter Steve Burton in 2009.
See also
Notes and references
- ^ a b c d e "Official New England Patriots History". New England Patriots. http://www.patriots.com/history/index.cfm?ac=History. Retrieved 2008-01-13.
- ^ Article by Bill Plaschke on Kevin Loh's design of the new Patriots' logo. LATIMES.COM. Accessed January 20, 2008.
- ^ a b "Belichick wins 3rd Coach of Year honor". The Associated Press. February 2, 2011. http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gLRirhrbgla4QzsnYzSxpSY_yVtw?docId=0f2901943f0846dab09ef3c5059ef28f. Retrieved February 16, 2011.[dead link]
- ^ "Brady romps to MVP after record season". Toronto Star. Associated Press (Toronto Star Newspapers). January 6, 2008. http://www.thestar.com/Sports/article/291342. Retrieved February 21, 2011.
- ^ "Tom Brady adds AP Offensive Player of Year to MVP". Bismark, North Dakota: KXMB-TV. January 8, 2008. http://www.kxnet.com/custom404.asp?404;http://www.kxnet.com/Sports/196054.asp. Retrieved February 21, 2011.
- ^ "Mayo is AP's top defensive rookie". ESPN. January 1, 2009. http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3801728. Retrieved February 16, 2011.
- ^ Kilgore, Adam (January 6, 2010). "Brady Wins Comeback Player of the Year". The Boston Globe (The New York Times Company). http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/extra_points/2010/01/brady_wins_come.html. Retrieved February 16, 2011.
- ^ Farmer, Sam (February 6, 2011). "Patriots' Tom Brady selected NFL MVP". Los Angeles Times (Tribune Company). http://articles.latimes.com/2011/feb/06/sports/la-sp-newswire-20110207. Retrieved February 16, 2011.
- ^ Manza Young, Shalise (February 1, 2011). "Brady Wins AP Offensive Player of Year". The Boston Globe (The New York Times Company). http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/extra_points/2011/02/brady_wins_ap_o.html. Retrieved February 16, 2011.
- ^ "New England Patriots playoff history". ESPN. http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs/2009/news/story?id=4785768. Retrieved February 24, 2011.
- ^ Piece on Tim Tebow popularity
- ^ Rodney Harrison hit on Vince Young 2007 preseason
- ^ Patriots 59-0 game vs. Titans
- ^ Borges, Ron (2000-09-01). "Coming to terms with the system". The Boston Globe. http://www.boston.com/sports/packages/nfl2000/plays.htm. Retrieved 2009-10-06.
- ^ Guregian, Karen (2009-01-15). Boston Herald. http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/football/other_nfl/view/2009_01_15_New_Chief_in_charge:_Scott_Pioli_starts_life_as_lone_boss_in_Kansas_City/. Retrieved 2009-10-06.
- ^ Long, Mark (2005-02-06). "Versatile Vrabel vaults into Super Bowl lore". San Diego Union-Tribune. http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/nfl/20050206-1920-fbn-superbowl-vrabel.html. Retrieved 2009-10-06.
- ^ Bell, Jarrett (2005-01-24). "Patriots all about the rings". USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/patriots/2005-01-24-team-concept_x.htm. Retrieved 2009-10-06.
- ^ "#3 New England Patriots". Forbes. September 2, 2011. http://www.forbes.com/lists/2009/30/football-values-09_New-England-Patriots_307338.html. Retrieved 2009-10-09.
- ^ "NFL Team Valuations". Forbes. September 2, 2011. http://www.forbes.com/lists/2009/30/football-values-09_NFL-Team-Valuations_Rank.html. Retrieved 2009-10-09.
- ^ Kurt Badenhausen (September 7, 2011). "The NFL's Most Valuable Teams". Forbes. http://www.forbes.com/sites/kurtbadenhausen/2011/09/07/the-nfls-most-valuable-teams/.
- ^ Shalise Manza Young (July 13, 2011). "Forbes: Patriots 6th most valuable sports franchise in world". The Boston Globe. http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/extra_points/2011/07/forbes_pats_6th.html. Retrieved January 22, 2012.
- ^ "Ben Coates elected to Patriots Hall of Fame". New England Patriots. 2008-07-07. http://www.patriots.com/news/index.cfm?ac=latestnewsdetail&pid=32516&pcid=41. Retrieved 2008-07-08.
- ^ "The Hall at Patriot Place Presented by Raytheon Hall of Fame!". New England Patriots. http://www.patriots.com/history/index.cfm?ac=halloffame. Retrieved 2010-06-14.
- ^ "Patriots Hall of Fame Senior Selection Committee formed". New England Patriots. 2011-03-25. http://www.patriots.com/news/index.cfm?ac=latestnewsdetail&pid=48047&pcid=47. Retrieved 2011-03-27.
- ^ Finn, Chad (2009-03-24). "Sullivan inducted into team's Hall". The Boston Globe. http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/reiss_pieces/2009/03/sullivan_induct.html. Retrieved 2009-03-24.
- ^ a b c "Patriots Anniversary Teams". New England Patriots. http://www.patriots.com/history/index.cfm?ac=anniversaryteams. Retrieved 2009-03-30.
- ^ a b Barboza, Scott (2009-03-31). "Patriots All-Decade teams announced". New England Patriots. http://www.patriots.com/search/index.cfm?ac=searchdetail&pid=36746&pcid=41&rss=1. Retrieved 2009-03-31.
- ^ "It's a Celebration: Best NFL Touchdown Rituals". ESPN. Josh Pahigian. December 13, 2007
Further reading
- Hlydburg, Bob (2009), Total Patriots: The Definitive Encyclopedia of the World-Class Franchise, Triumph Books, ISBN 1600780997
- Holley, Michael (2004), Patriot Reign: Bill Belichick, the Coaches, and the Players Who Built a Champion, William Morrow and Company, ISBN 0060757949
- Price, Christopher (2007), The Blueprint: How the New England Patriots Beat the System to Create the Last Great NFL Superpower, Thomas Dunne Books, ISBN 0312368380
- Lavin, James (2005), Management Secrets of the New England Patriots: From Patsies to Triple Super Bowl Champs; Vol. 1, Pointer Press, ISBN 0976203952
- Lavin, James (2005), Management Secrets of the New England Patriots: From Patsies to Triple Super Bowl Champs; Vol. 2, Pointer Press, ISBN 0976203987
- Glennon, Sean (2008), The Good, the Bad & the Ugly New England Patriots: Heart-pounding, Jaw-dropping, and Gut-wrenching Moments from New England Patriots History, Triumph Books, ISBN 1600781187
- Felger, Michael (2004), Tales from the Patriots Sideline, Sports Publishing LLC, ISBN 158261525X
- Donaldson, Jim (2009), Then Belichick Said to Brady: The Best New England Patriots Stories Ever Told, Triumph Books, ISBN 1600782396
- Donaldson, Jim (2005), Stadium Stories: New England Patriots, Globe Pequot, ISBN 0762737883
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: New England Patriots |
- New England Patriots official website
- New England Patriots on Twitter
- Sport E-Cyclopedia.org
- Works by or about New England Patriots in libraries (WorldCat catalog)
- New England Patriots collected news and commentary at The New York Times
- New England Patriots collected news and commentary at The Wall Street Journal
| Achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Baltimore Ravens 2000 |
Super Bowl Champions New England Patriots 2001 |
Succeeded by Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2002 |
| Preceded by Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2002 |
Super Bowl Champions New England Patriots 2003 and 2004 |
Succeeded by Pittsburgh Steelers 2005 |
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| National Football League (2012) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AFC | East | North | South | West |
| Buffalo Bills | Baltimore Ravens | Houston Texans | Denver Broncos | |
| Miami Dolphins | Cincinnati Bengals | Indianapolis Colts | Kansas City Chiefs | |
| New England Patriots | Cleveland Browns | Jacksonville Jaguars | Oakland Raiders | |
| New York Jets | Pittsburgh Steelers | Tennessee Titans | San Diego Chargers | |
| NFC | East | North | South | West |
| Dallas Cowboys | Chicago Bears | Atlanta Falcons | Arizona Cardinals | |
| New York Giants | Detroit Lions | Carolina Panthers | St. Louis Rams | |
| Philadelphia Eagles | Green Bay Packers | New Orleans Saints | San Francisco 49ers | |
| Washington Redskins | Minnesota Vikings | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Seattle Seahawks | |
| Seasons (by team) · Regular season · Playoffs · AFC Championship · NFC Championship · Super Bowl (champions · quarterbacks) · Pro Bowl League Championship History: AFL Championship (1960–1969) · NFL Championship (1920–1969) · One-game playoff · Playoff Bowl |
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| Defunct franchises · Owners · Officials · Properties · Stadiums (chronology) · Franchise timeline · Records (individual, team, Super Bowl) · All-Pro · Hall of Fame · Lore · Nicknames · AFL · Merger · History in Los Angeles, Toronto (Bills Series) · International Series · Europa (World Bowl) · TV · Radio · Management Council · NFLPA · Player conduct · Draft · Training camp · Preseason (Hall of Fame Game, American Bowl) · Kickoff · Monday Night Football · Thanksgiving Classic · Christmas games · Playoff droughts · Rivalries · Tied games · Cancelled games | ||||
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