The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston town of Foxborough, Massachusetts. They play in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. Originally called the Boston Patriots, the team was founded as one of eight charter members of the American Football League (AFL) in 1960 under the ownership of Billy Sullivan. The team became part of the NFL when the two leagues merged in 1970. The following year, they moved from Boston to nearby Foxborough, and changed their name to the New England Patriots.
The modern NFL championship game, the Super Bowl, was founded in the 1966 season; the first four were contested between the champions of the AFL and the NFL. After the merger, the Super Bowl became the united league's championship. The Patriots made the 1963 AFL Championship Game, but struggled severely in the early years of the united league, not making the postseason until 1976. After a stretch of only one losing season in 13 years, including a Super Bowl appearance against a champion Bears outfit, the Patriots reached a nadir between 1989 and 1993 when they won only 19 of 80 games.
During Bill Belichick's tenure as the team's head coach from 2000 to 2023, the Patriots won six Super Bowls, nine AFC Championship Games, and sixteen AFC East titles, earning an overall regular season record of 266–121. Tom Brady, who was the team's quarterback from 2000 until 2019, was awarded the NFL Most Valuable Player (MVP) three times, and the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player four times (he later won another Super Bowl MVP with the Buccaneers); he is one of only five players named Super Bowl MVP more than once, and the only one named more than three times.
The Patriots have won six Super Bowl championships (XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX, XLIX, LI, and LIII). They also played in and lost Super Bowls XX, XXXI, XLII, XLVI, LII, and LX. During the 2007 regular season, the Patriots became the only NFL team in history to win 16 games, and the first since the 1972 Miami Dolphins (in a 14-game season) to complete the regular campaign undefeated. Belichick's Patriots are one of only two teams to win three Super Bowls in four years (the other being the Dallas Cowboys from 1993 to 1996).
Overall, the Patriots have made 29 playoff appearances, one of which was before the merger. Since the merger, they have played sixteen AFC Championship Games, winning twelve of them to advance to the Super Bowl. In the 2025 NFL season, the Patriots reached their 12th Super Bowl, breaking their own record for most Super Bowl appearances by any organization of all time. The Patriots had 19 consecutive winning seasons from 2001 to 2019, the 2nd-longest streak in NFL history, behind the Dallas Cowboys' record of 20.
Seasons
AFL champions (1960–1969) Super Bowl champions (1966–present) Conference champions Division champions Wild Card berth One-Game Playoff Berth
Season Team League Conference Division Regular season Postseason results Awards Head coachesFinishBoston Patriots19601960AFL—Eastern4th590Lou Saban19611961AFL—Eastern2nd941Lou Saban (2–3) Mike Holovak (7–1–1)1962 1962AFL—Eastern2nd941 Mike Holovak1963 1963AFL—Eastern1st761Won Divisional playoffs (at Bills) 26–8Lost AFL Championship (at Chargers) 10–5119641964 AFL—Eastern2nd1031Gino Cappelletti (MVP)19651965 AFL—Eastern3rd48219661966 AFL—Eastern2nd842Jim Nance (MVP)19671967 AFL—Eastern5th310119681968 AFL—Eastern4th410019691969 AFL—Eastern3rd4100Clive Rush1970 NFLAFCEast5th2120Clive Rush (1–6) John Mazur (1–6)New England Patriots 1971NFLAFCEast3rd680John Mazur1972 NFLAFCEast5th3110John Mazur (2–7) Phil Bengtson (1–4)1973 NFLAFCEast3rd590 Chuck Fairbanks1974 NFLAFCEast3rd770 1975NFLAFCEast5th31101976 NFLAFCEast2nd 1130Lost Divisional playoffs (at Raiders) 21–24Mike Haynes (DROY)1977 NFLAFCEast3rd9501978 NFLAFCEast1st 1150Lost Divisional playoffs (Oilers) 14–31Chuck Fairbanks was suspended for the last game of the 1978 regular season. Hank Bullough and Ron Erhardt replaced his duty as co-coach. He was reinstated for the playoffs, and lost in the first round.1979 NFLAFCEast2nd970 Ron Erhardt1980 NFLAFCEast2nd10601981 NFLAFCEast5th21401982 NFLAFC7th540Lost First Round playoffs (at Dolphins) 13–28 Ron Meyer1983 NFLAFCEast2nd8801984 NFLAFCEast2nd970Ron Meyer (5–3) Raymond Berry (4–4)1985 NFLAFCEast3rd1150Won Wild Card playoffs (at Jets) 26–14 Won Divisional playoffs (at Raiders) 27–20 Won AFC Championship (at Dolphins) 31–14 Lost Super Bowl XX (vs. Bears) 10–46 Raymond Berry1986 NFLAFCEast1st1150Lost Divisional playoffs (at Broncos) 17–221987 NFLAFCEast2nd8701988 NFLAFCEast3rd970John Stephens (OROY)1989 NFLAFCEast4th51101990 NFLAFCEast5th1150Rod Rust1991 NFLAFCEast4th6100Leonard Russell (OROY) Dick MacPherson1992 NFLAFCEast5th21401993 NFLAFCEast4th5110 Bill Parcells1994 NFLAFCEast2nd 1060Lost Wild Card playoffs (at Browns) 13–20Bill Parcells (COY)1995 NFLAFCEast4th6100Curtis Martin (OROY)1996 NFLAFCEast1st1150Won Divisional playoffs (Steelers) 28–3Won AFC Championship (Jaguars) 20–6Lost Super Bowl XXXI (vs. Packers) 21–351997 NFLAFCEast1st1060Won Wild Card playoffs (Dolphins) 17–3Lost Divisional playoffs (at Steelers) 6–7 Pete Carroll1998 NFLAFCEast4th970Lost Wild Card playoffs (at Jaguars) 10–251999 NFLAFCEast5th8802000 NFLAFCEast5th5110 Bill Belichick2001 NFLAFCEast1st 1150Won Divisional playoffs (Raiders) 16–13 (OT)Won AFC Championship (at Steelers) 24–17Won Super Bowl XXXVI (1) (vs. Rams) 20–17 Tom Brady (SB MVP)2002 NFLAFCEast2nd9702003 NFLAFCEast1st1420Won Divisional playoffs (Titans) 17–14Won AFC Championship (Colts) 24–14Won Super Bowl XXXVIII (2) (vs. Panthers) 32–29Tom Brady (SB MVP)Bill Belichick (COY)Scott Pioli (EOY)2004 NFLAFCEast1st1420Won Divisional playoffs (Colts) 20–3Won AFC Championship (at Steelers) 41–27Won Super Bowl XXXIX (3) (vs. Eagles) 24–21Deion Branch (SB MVP)Scott Pioli (EOY)2005 NFLAFCEast 1st1060Won Wild Card playoffs (Jaguars) 28–3Lost Divisional playoffs (at Broncos) 13–27Tedy Bruschi (CBPOY)2006 NFLAFCEast1st1240Won Wild Card playoffs (Jets) 37–16Won Divisional playoffs (at Chargers) 24–21Lost AFC Championship (at Colts) 34–3820072007NFLAFCEast1st1600Won Divisional playoffs (Jaguars) 31–20Won AFC Championship (Chargers) 21–12Lost Super Bowl XLII (vs. Giants) 14–17Tom Brady (MVP, OPOY)Bill Belichick (COY)2008 NFLAFCEast2nd1150Jerod Mayo (DROY)2009 NFLAFCEast1st10 60Lost Wild Card playoffs (Ravens) 14–33Tom Brady (CBPOY)2010NFLAFCEast1st1420Lost Divisional playoffs (Jets) 21–28Tom Brady (MVP, OPOY)Bill Belichick (COY)2011NFLAFCEast1st1330Won Divisional playoffs (Broncos) 45–10Won AFC Championship (Ravens) 23–20Lost Super Bowl XLVI (vs. Giants) 17–212012NFLAFCEast1st1240Won Divisional playoffs (Texans) 41–28Lost AFC Championship (Ravens) 13–282013NFLAFCEast1st1240Won Divisional playoffs (Colts) 43–22 Lost AFC Championship (at Broncos) 16–262014NFLAFCEast1st1240Won Divisional playoffs (Ravens) 35–31 Won AFC Championship (Colts) 45–7 Won Super Bowl XLIX (4) (vs. Seahawks) 28–24 Rob Gronkowski (CBPOY)Tom Brady (SB MVP)2015NFLAFCEast1st1240Won Divisional playoffs (Chiefs) 27–20Lost AFC Championship (at Broncos) 18–202016NFLAFCEast1st1420Won Divisional playoffs (Texans) 34–16Won AFC Championship (Steelers) 36–17Won Super Bowl LI (5) (vs. Falcons) 34–28 (OT) Tom Brady (SB MVP)2017NFLAFCEast1st1330Won Divisional playoffs (Titans) 35–14Won AFC Championship (Jaguars) 24–20Lost Super Bowl LII (vs. Eagles) 33–41 Tom Brady (MVP)2018NFLAFCEast1st1150Won Divisional playoffs (Chargers) 41–28Won AFC Championship (at Chiefs) 37–31 Won Super Bowl LIII (6) (vs. Rams) 13–3 Julian Edelman (SB MVP)2019NFLAFCEast1st1240Lost Wild Card playoffs (Titans) 13–20 Stephon Gilmore (DPOY)2020NFLAFCEast3rd7902021NFLAFCEast2nd1070Lost Wild Card playoffs (at Bills) 17–472022NFLAFCEast3rd8902023NFLAFCEast4th413020242024NFLAFCEast4th4130Jerod Mayo20252025NFLAFCEast1st1430Won Wild Card playoffs (Chargers) 16–3Won Divisional playoffs (Texans) 28–16Won AFC Championship (at Broncos) 10–7Lost Super Bowl LX (vs. Seahawks) 13–29Mike Vrabel (COY)Josh McDaniels (ACOY)Mike VrabelTotal5594499All-time regular season record (1960–2025)4023—All-time postseason record (1960–2025)5994729All-time regular & postseason record (1960–2025)
+Key for the "Awards" sectionASG MVPAmerican Football League All-Star Game Most Valuable Player AwardCBPOYNational Football League Comeback Player of the Year AwardDROYNational Football League Defensive Rookie of the Year AwardOROYNational Football League Offensive Rookie of the Year AwardCOYNational Football League Coach of the Year AwardOPOYNational Football League Offensive Player of the Year AwardDPOYNational Football League Defensive Player of the Year AwardMVPNational Football League Most Valuable Player AwardSB MVPSuper Bowl Most Valuable Player Award
See also History of the New England Patriots
Notes The season column links to an article about each season in the league (AFL for 1960–1969; NFL for 1970–present). The Team column links to an article about the Patriots' season that year. The Finish, Won, Lost, and Ties columns list regular season results and exclude any postseason play. Regular season and postseason results are combined only at the bottom of the list. In the Finish column, a "T-" indicates a tie for that position. Beginning in 1974, the NFL began playing a 15-minute sudden-death overtime period if a regular season game finished regulation tied. Since this change, ties have been rarer.2002 National Football League Record & Fact Book, p. 394–395. The Patriots and the Baltimore Colts finished tied. However, the Colts finished ahead of New England based on a better division record (7–1 to Patriots' 6–2).2000 National Football League Record & Fact Book, p. 293. The NFL expanded from a 14-game regular season schedule to 16 beginning in 1978. The Patriots and Miami Dolphins finished the 1978 season with the same record. However, the Patriots were awarded the Division Championship based on a better division record (6–2 to the Dolphins' 5–3). The 1982 NFL season was shortened from 16 regular seasons games to nine due to a players' strike. For playoff seedings, division standings were ignored and eight teams from each conference were seeded one through eight based on their regular season records.2002 National Football League Record & Fact Book, p. 413. The 1987 NFL season was shortened from 16 regular season games to 15 due to a players' strike.2000 National Football League Record & Fact Book, p. 291. The Patriots and Dolphins finished the 1994 season tied. As the Dolphins had defeated the Patriots in both regular season meetings, the Dolphins were named division champions and the Patriots received a Wild Card berth in the playoffs.2000 National Football League Record & Fact Book, p. 289. The Patriots and the Dolphins finished the 2001 season with the same record. However, the Patriots were named Division Champions based on a better division record (6–2 to the Dolphins' 5–3).2002 National Football League Record & Fact Book, p. 404. The Patriots, Dolphins, and New York Jets finished the season with 9–7 records in 2002. For having the best record against common opponents, the Jets were awarded the division championship. Neither the Patriots nor the Dolphins qualified for the playoffs. The Patriots, Dolphins, and Baltimore Ravens (AFC North) finished the 2008 season tied with identical 11–5 records. As the Dolphins and Ravens had 8–4 records within the AFC, and the Patriots a 7–5 AFC record, the Dolphins were awarded the AFC East title, and the Ravens were given a Wild Card berth in the playoffs. The Patriots did not qualify for the playoffs. Years here refer to the year in which the season was played. Playoff games are commonly played in the January and February of the following year.
References General
Bibliography
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