New England Patriots

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 currently tied for second with 6 appearances in a Super Bowl, 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 10 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 as of the present time, the last team to date) 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. 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.

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, 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 fifth 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.

Season	Team	League	Conference	Division	Regular Season				Post Season Results	Awards
					Finish	Won	Lost	Ties
2006	2006	NFL	AFC	East §	1st §	12	4	0	Won Wild Card Playoffs (Jets) 37–16 Won Divisional Playoffs (Chargers) 24–21 Lost Conference Championship (Colts) 38–34
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) 17–14	Bill 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]
Total						401	362	9	(1960–2010, includes only regular season)
						21	15	—	(1960–2010,[l] includes only playoffs)[10]
						422	377	9	(1960–2010, includes both regular season and playoffs)

Records

Rivalries

The Patriots have maintained a rivalry with the New York Jets, who have also been members of the AFC East since its inception in 1970. Prior to that, both teams competed in the American Football League 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. Four years later, 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, and within the last decade the Pittsburgh Steelers whom the Patriots defeated for the AFC Championship in 2001 and 2004.

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.^[11] Their philosophy in making personnel decisions and in game planning has focused on the "team" concept,^[12] stressing preparation, strong work ethic, versatility,^[13] and lack of individual ego.^[14] 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. 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.^[15]

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.

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.

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.^[16] In order to be eligible, players and coaches must be retired for at least four years.^[17] 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.^[18]

Former owner Billy Sullivan was inducted by owner Robert Kraft in March 2009, the Patriots' 50th season, as a contributor.^[19]

Additionally, four former Patriots players have been enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Patriots have officially retired seven uniform numbers.

All-decade teams

1960s (AFL)

In November 1971, fans voted on a 10-year Patriots anniversary team, which coincided with the team's 10 years in the then-defunct American Football League:^[20] Additional selections for returner, special teamer, and coach were added in 2009:^[21]

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:^[21]

2000s

On March 16, 2010, the Patriots Hall of Fame selection committee selected an all-decade team for the 2000s:

Anniversary teams

35th anniversary (1994)

In 1994, a group of local media selected a 35th anniversary team:^[20]

50th anniversary (2009)

In 2009, the Patriots Hall of Fame selection committee selected a 50th anniversary team:^[20]

All-time first-round draft picks

Coaches

Head coaches

Current staff

Cheerleaders and mascot

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 10 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.^[22]

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

• The Kraft Group

Notes and references

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

• New England Patriots official website
• New England Patriots on Twitter
• Sport E-Cyclopedia.org