The 2003 season was the New England Patriots' 34th in the National Football League (NFL), their 44th overall, and their fourth under head coach Bill Belichick. They finished with a league-best and then franchise-best 14–2 record before advancing to and winning Super Bowl XXXVIII.
Two seasons after winning Super Bowl XXXVI, the Patriots went into 2003 after missing the playoffs in 2002. In a salary cap-related move, captain and Pro Bowl safety Lawyer Milloy was released five days before the start of the regular season. This prompted second-guessing of head coach Bill Belichick among some fans and a report by ESPN analyst Tom Jackson that Patriots players "hated their coach", an accusation later denied by players. Milloy signed with the Buffalo Bills, who defeated the Patriots, 31–0, in the season opener. The Patriots would rebound, not losing another game after starting with a 2–2 record. Due to multiple injuries, the Patriots started 42 different players during the season, an NFL record for a division winner until the 2005 Patriots started 45 different players. Undefeated at home, nose tackle Ted Washington coined the phrase "Homeland Defense" for the Patriots' defense. That defense, boosted by the offseason acquisitions of Washington and former San Diego Chargers safety Rodney Harrison, gave up a league-low 14.9 points per game. The regular season was bookended with a 31–0 victory over the Bills at home in Week 17, a score reversed from the Patriots' shutout loss to the Bills in Week 1. The win gave the Patriots a perfect 8–0 record at home in the regular season, and their 14 total wins was the team's highest mark since their 11–5 season in 2001.
After a first-round bye in the AFC playoffs, the Patriots faced the Tennessee Titans at home in one of the coldest games in the Patriots' NFL history and won 17–14, setting up an AFC Championship Game matchup against the Indianapolis Colts. The Patriots intercepted Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, the league's co-MVP, four times, winning 24–14 and advancing to Super Bowl XXXVIII against the Carolina Panthers. With a tied game late in the fourth quarter, Adam Vinatieri kicked the game-winning field goal with seconds remaining, giving the Patriots their second Super Bowl victory in three seasons.
Offseason roster changes The Patriots signed safety Rodney Harrison, linebacker Rosevelt Colvin, fullback Fred McCrary, cornerback Tyrone Poole, linebacker Jason Hunt, linebacker Don Davis, tight end Fred Baxter, safety Chris Akins, fullback Larry Centers and wide receiver Dedric Ward in free agency.
The Patriots traded safety Tebucky Jones to the New Orleans Saints for three draft picks: a 2003 3rd-round pick, a 2003 7th-round pick, and a 2004 4th-round pick.
Before the season began, the Patriots acquired defensive tackle Ted Washington in a trade with the Chicago Bears and released safety Lawyer Milloy after he refused to take a pay cut. Milloy would later sign with the Buffalo Bills.
Draft
Staff 2003 New England Patriots staff Front office Chairman/CEO – Robert Kraft Vice chairman – Jonathan Kraft Senior vice president/COO – Andy Wasynczuk Vice president of player personnel – Scott Pioli Director of college scouting – Thomas Dimitroff Assistant director of college scouting – Lionel Vital Assistant director of pro scouting – Andre Tippett and Keith Kidd Football research director – Ernie Adams Director of operations – Chris Caminiti
Head coaches Head coach – Bill Belichick Assistant head coach/offensive line – Dante Scarnecchia
Offensive coaches Offensive coordinator – Charlie Weis Quarterbacks – John Hufnagel Running backs – Ivan Fears Wide receivers – Brian Daboll Assistant offensive line – Jeff Davidson Coaching assistant – Josh McDaniels Defensive coaches Defensive coordinator/defensive line – Romeo Crennel Inside linebackers – Pepper Johnson Outside linebackers – Rob Ryan Defensive backs – Eric Mangini Coaching assistant – Sean Gustus
Special teams coaches Special teams – Brad Seely
Strength and conditioning Strength and conditioning – Mike Woicik Assistant strength and conditioning – Markus Paul
Roster
Opening training camp roster At the time of the first public training camp practice at Gillette Stadium on July 24, the Patriots had the NFL maximum of 80 players signed to their roster. They received seven roster exemptions for the NFL Europe allocations of Dyshod Carter, Mike Malan, Mike Clare, Rod Trafford, Courtney Ledyard, Brad Harris, and Scott McCready. Additionally, the Patriots allocated offensive lineman Corey Mitchell, wide receiver T. C. Taylor, and quarterback Shane Stafford to NFL Europe and received roster exemptions for them, but those players were waived before the start of training camp. Injured exclusiverights free agent Stephen Neal did not sign his tender until after camp began, so did not count against the roster limit.
New England Patriots 2003 opening training camp roster Quarterbacks Tom Brady Rohan Davey Damon Huard Kliff Kingsbury R
Running backs Antowain Smith Kevin Faulk KR Michael Malan FB Fred McCrary FB Patrick Pass FB J. R. Redmond Antwoine Womack
Wide receivers Deion Branch Troy Brown PR David Givens Scott McCready David Patten Dan Stricker UR Dedric Ward Kerry Watkins UR
Tight ends Fred Baxter Christian Fauria Daniel Graham Spencer Nead R Rod TraffordOffensive linemen Tom Ashworth T Mike Clare C Mike Compton G Bill Conaty C Jasen Esposito C UR Brandon Gorin T Russ Hochstein G Adrian Klemm T Matt Knutson T Dan Koppen C R Matt Light T
Defensive linemen Jarvis Green DE Bobby Hamilton DE Brad Harris DE Ethan Kelley NT R Dan Klecko NT R Ken Kocher NT Rick Lyle DE Anthony Pleasant DE Buck Rasmussen DE UR Richard Seymour DE Ty Warren DE RLinebackers Tedy Bruschi ILB Matt Chatham OLB Rosevelt Colvin OLB Don Davis ILB Jason Hunt OLB UR Larry Izzo ILB Ted Johnson ILB Courtney Ledyard ILB Chad Lee ILB UR Roman Phifer ILB Maugaula Tuitele ILB Mike Vrabel OLB
Defensive backs Chris Akins FS Dyshod Carter CB Je'Rod Cherry FS Scott Farley SS UR Antwan Harris FS Rodney Harrison FS Ben Kelly CB Ty Law CB Shawn Mayer FS UR Aric Morris SS Lawyer Milloy SS Leonard Myers CB Tyrone Poole CB Asante Samuel CB R Otis Smith CB Eugene Wilson CB R
Special teams Lonie Paxton LS Daniel Pope P Adam Vinatieri K Ken Walter P Reserve lists Joe Andruzzi G (Active/PUP) Tully Banta-Cain OLB (Active/PUP) R Mike Cloud RB (Active/NF-Inj.) Chas Gessner WR (Active/PUP) UR Bethel Johnson WR (Active/NF-Inj.) R Kenyatta Jones T (Active/PUP) Willie McGinest OLB (Active/NF-Inj.) Gene Mruczkowski G (Active/NF-Inj.) UR Antowain Smith RB (Active/NF-Inj.) Damien Woody C (Active/NF-Inj.)
Exclusive-Rights FAs Stephen Neal G
Notations R: 2003 Rookie UR: 2003 Undrafted Rookie Italicized players are not on the 80-man roster.
Week 1 roster New England Patriots 2003 Week 1 roster Quarterbacks Tom Brady Rohan Davey Damon Huard
Running backs Larry Centers FB Kevin Faulk KR Fred McCrary FB Antowain Smith
Wide receivers Deion Branch Troy Brown PR David Givens Bethel Johnson KR R David Patten
Tight ends Fred Baxter Christian Fauria Daniel GrahamOffensive linemen Joe Andruzzi G Tom Ashworth T Mike Compton G Brandon Gorin T Adrian Klemm T Dan Koppen C R Matt Light T Damien Woody C
Defensive linemen Jarvis Green DE Bobby Hamilton DE Dan Klecko NT R Rick Lyle NT/DE Anthony Pleasant DE Richard Seymour DE Ty Warren DE R Ted Washington NTLinebackers Tedy Bruschi ILB Matt Chatham OLB Rosevelt Colvin OLB Don Davis ILB Larry Izzo ILB Ted Johnson ILB Willie McGinest OLB Roman Phifer ILB Mike Vrabel OLB
Defensive backs Chris Akins SS Je'Rod Cherry FS Antwan Harris FS Rodney Harrison SS Ty Law CB Aric Morris SS Tyrone Poole CB Asante Samuel CB R Eugene Wilson FS R
Special teams Lonie Paxton LS Adam Vinatieri K Ken Walter PReserve lists Tully Banta-Cain OLB (PUP) R Mike Clare C (IR) Mike Cloud RB (Susp.) Chas Gessner WR (PUP) UR Kenyatta Jones T (PUP) Kliff Kingsbury QB (IR) R Courtney Ledyard MLB (IR) Scott McCready WR (IR) Gene Mruczkowski G (NF-Inj.) UR Stephen Neal G (PUP) Brenden Stai G (IR) Dan Stricker WR (IR) UR
Practice squad Russ Hochstein G Ethan Kelley NT R Shawn Mayer FS UR Tim Provost OT R Jamil Soriano G UR
Notations R: 2003 Rookie UR: 2003 Undrafted Rookie Italicized players are not on the 53-man roster.
Final roster New England Patriots 2003 final roster Quarterbacks Tom Brady Rohan Davey Damon Huard
Running backs Larry Centers FB Mike Cloud Kevin Faulk KR Patrick Pass FB/KR Antowain Smith
Wide receivers Deion Branch Troy Brown PR David Givens Bethel Johnson KR R J.J. Stokes Dedric Ward
Tight ends Fred Baxter Christian Fauria Daniel GrahamOffensive linemen Joe Andruzzi G Tom Ashworth T Wilbert Brown G Brandon Gorin T Russ Hochstein G Dan Koppen C R Matt Light T
Defensive linemen Jarvis Green DE Bobby Hamilton DE Dan Klecko DT R Rick Lyle DT Willie McGinest DE Anthony Pleasant DE Richard Seymour DT Ty Warren DT R Ted Washington DTLinebackers Tully Banta-Cain OLB R Tedy Bruschi MLB Matt Chatham OLB Don Davis OLB Larry Izzo OLB Ted Johnson MLB Roman Phifer OLB Mike Vrabel OLB
Defensive backs Chris Akins FS Je'Rod Cherry SS Antwan Harris SS Rodney Harrison SS Ty Law CB Shawn Mayer SS UR Tyrone Poole CB/PR Asante Samuel CB R Eugene Wilson FS R
Special teams Brian Kinchen LS Adam Vinatieri K Ken Walter PReserve lists Rosevelt Colvin LB (IR) Mike Compton G (IR) Kliff Kingsbury QB (IR) R Adrian Klemm T (IR) Fred McCrary FB (IR) Sean McDermott LS (IR) Gene Mruczkowski G/C (IR) UR Stephen Neal G (IR) David Patten WR (IR) Lonie Paxton LS (IR) Damien Woody C (IR)
Practice squad Jamin Elliott WR Chas Gessner WR UR Ethan Kelley NT R Tim Provost T R Jamil Soriano G/T UR
Notations R: 2003 Rookie UR: 2003 Undrafted Rookie Italicized players are not on the 53-man roster.
53 active, 10 inactive, 5 practice squad
Preseason Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 August 7 New York Giants W 26–6 1–0 Gillette Stadium Recap 2 August 16 at Washington Redskins W 20–13 2–0 FedExField Recap 3 August 22 at Philadelphia Eagles W 24–12 3–0 Lincoln Financial Field Recap 4 August 27 Chicago Bears W 38–23 4–0 Gillette Stadium Recap
Regular season
Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 September 7 at Buffalo Bills L 0–31 0–1 Ralph Wilson Stadium Recap 2 September 14 at Philadelphia Eagles W 31–10 1–1 Lincoln Financial Field Recap 3 September 21 New York Jets W 23–16 2–1 Gillette Stadium Recap 4 September 28 at Washington Redskins L 17–20 2–2 FedExField Recap 5 October 5 Tennessee Titans W 38–30 3–2 Gillette Stadium Recap 6 October 12 New York Giants W 17–6 4–2 Gillette Stadium Recap 7 October 19 at Miami Dolphins W 19–13 5–2 Pro Player Stadium Recap 8 October 26 Cleveland Browns W 9–3 6–2 Gillette Stadium Recap 9 at Denver Broncos W 30–26 7–2 Invesco Field at Mile High Recap 10 Bye 11 November 16 Dallas Cowboys W 12–0 8–2 Gillette Stadium Recap 12 November 23 at Houston Texans W 23–20 9–2 Reliant Stadium Recap 13 November 30 at Indianapolis Colts W 38–34 10–2 RCA Dome Recap 14 December 7 Miami Dolphins W 12–0 11–2 Gillette Stadium Recap 15 December 14 Jacksonville Jaguars W 27–13 12–2 Gillette Stadium Recap 16 at New York JetsW 21–16 13–2 Giants Stadium Recap 17 Buffalo Bills W 31–0 14–2 Gillette Stadium Recap
Game summaries
Week 1: at Buffalo Bills