The 1961 Boston Patriots season was the franchise's second season in the American Football League They finished with nine wins, four losses, and one tie, in second place in the AFL's Eastern Division. This was the first season that the now famous "Pat Patriot" logo appeared on the helmets. The logo itself would see minor updates throughout the years before it was finally retired after the 1992 season, after 32 years.
Staff
Season summary In the off-season, the team acquired quarterback Babe Parilli from the Oakland Raiders, himself a former starter for the NFL's Green Bay Packers. After a 2–3 start and two consecutive losses, the team fired head coach Lou Saban on the night of Tuesday, October 10, and replaced him with offensive backfield coach Mike Holovak, formerly the head coach at Boston College. The change was a positive one, as the team was 7–1–1 under Holovak and finished on a four-game winning streak, capped with a road shutout of the Western Division champion San Diego Chargers in the season finale, the team which scored 38 points on them in Boston in Saban's last game.
The Patriots' 9–4–1 record put them in second place in the Eastern Division, one game behind Houston; the Oilers went on to win the league championship with a 10–3 win over the Chargers. This was the first season in which Boston used their "Pat the Patriot" logo on their helmets.
Draft picks Round Player Position College 1 Tommy MasonTommy Mason Half back Tulane 2 Rip HawkinsRip Hawkins Center North Carolina 3 Danny LaRoseDanny LaRose Tight end Missouri 4 Mike ZenoMike Zeno Guard Virginia Tech 5 Fran TarkentonFran Tarkenton Quarterback Georgia 6 Larry EisenhauerLarry Eisenhauer 1 Tackle Boston College 7 Paul TerhesPaul Terhes Quarterback Bucknell 8 Charles LongCharles Long 1 Guard Tennessee-Chattanooga 9 Roland LakesRoland Lakes Center Wichita 10 Richard MuellerRichard Mueller Offensive end Kentucky 11 Mel WestMel West Center Missouri 12 Wayne HarrisWayne Harris Center Arkansas 13 Dan UnderwoodDan Underwood Tackle McNeese State 14 James WrightJames Wright Quarterback Memphis State 16 George BalthazarGeorge Balthazar Tackle Tennessee A&I 17 Ray RatkowskiRay Ratkowski Halfback Notre Dame 18 Tom RodgersTom Rodgers Halfback Kentucky 19 Joe BellinoJoe Bellino Halfback Navy 20 Clarence ChildsClarence Childs Halfback Florida A&M 21 Don OakesDon Oakes Guard Virginia Tech 22 Bob JohnsonBob Johnson Offensive end Michigan 23 Darrell DeDeckerDarrell DeDecker Center Illinois 24 Don WebbDon Webb Halfback Iowa State 25 Bob MinihaneBob Minihane Tackle Boston 26 Charley GrangerCharley Granger Tackle Southern 27 Terry HuxholdTerry Huxhold Tackle Wisconsin 28 Bryant HarvardBryant Harvard Quarterback Auburn 29 Ernie McMillanErnie McMillan Tackle Illinois 30 George HultzGeorge Hultz Tackle Mississippi Southern
Schedule Regular season
Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Recap 1 New York Titans L 20–21 0–1 Boston University Field 16,683 Recap 2 Denver Broncos W 45–17 1–1 Boston University Field14,479Recap 3 at Buffalo Bills W 23–21 2–1 War Memorial Stadium 21,504 Recap 4 October 1 at New York Titans L 30–37 2–2 Polo Grounds 15,189 Recap 5 San Diego Chargers L 27–38 2–3 Boston University Field 17,748 Recap 6 Houston Oilers T 31–31 2–3–1 Boston University Field 15,070 Recap 7 October 22 Buffalo Bills W 52–21 3–3–1 Boston University Field 9,398 Recap 8 October 29 at Dallas Texans W 18–17 4–3–1 Cotton Bowl 20,500 Recap 9 Dallas Texans W 28–21 5–3–1 Boston University Field 25,063 Recap 10 November 12 at Houston Oilers L 15–27 5–4–1 Jeppesen Stadium 35,649 Recap 11 Oakland Raiders W 20–17 6–4–1 Boston University Field 17,169 Recap 12 Bye 13 December 3 at Denver Broncos W 28–24 7–4–1 Bears Stadium 9,303 Recap 14 at Oakland Raiders W 35–21 8–4–1 Candlestick Park 6,500 Recap 15 December 17 at San Diego Chargers W 41–0 9–4–1Balboa Stadium 21,339 Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Standings
Roster Boston Patriots 1961 roster Quarterbacks Babe Parilli Butch Songin
Running backs Ron Burton Jim Crawford Larry Garron Billy Lott Gerhard Schwedes
Wide receivers Gino Cappelletti K Jim Colclough
Tight ends Thomas Stephens Offensive linemen Houston Antwine G Walt Cudzik C Jerry DeLucca T Milt Graham T Chuck Leo G Charlie Long T Tony Sardisco G Bob Yates C
Defensive linemen Bob Dee DE Larry Eisenhauer DE Jim Lee Hunt DT Dick Klein DT Leroy Moore DE Linebackers Tom Addison OLB Rommie Loudd OLB Harry Jacobs MLB
Defensive backs Walter Beach CB Fred Bruney FS Ron Hall SS Chuck Shonta CB Clyde Washington CB Don Webb CB
Special teams Tom Yewcic P/RB/QB Reserve list Joe Johnson TE (IR) George McGee T (Military) Ross O'Hanley S (Military) Frank Robotti LB (IR) Jack Rudolph LB (IR) John Simerson T (IR) Bob Soltis S (IR)
Notes and references General references . For game-by-game results . For team roster . For season summary
Footnoted references