New England Patriots facts for kids

Quick facts for kids New England Patriots
Current season
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Basic info
Established	November 16, 1959; 66 years ago (November 16, 1959)
Stadium	Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts
Headquartered	Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts
Colors	Nautical blue, red, new century silver, white
Fight song	"Crazy Train" "This Is Our House" "I'm Shipping Up to Boston"
Mascot	Pat Patriot
Personnel
Owner(s)	Kraft Group Robert Kraft, Chairman
CEO	Robert Kraft
President	Jonathan Kraft
General manager	Eliot Wolf
Head coach	Mike Vrabel
Nicknames
The Pats The Evil Empire The Boston TE Party (tight ends; 2010–2012) The Boogeymen (Linebackers; 2019)
Team history
Boston Patriots (1960–1970) New England Patriots (1971–present)
Home fields
Boston University Field (1960–1962) Fenway Park (1963–1968) Alumni Stadium (1969) Harvard Stadium (1970) Foxboro Stadium (1971–2001) Gillette Stadium (2002–present)
League / conference affiliations
American Football League (1960–1969) Eastern Division (1960–1969) National Football League (1970–present) American Football Conference (1970–present) AFC East (1970–present)
Championships
League championships: 6 Super Bowl championships: 6 2001 (XXXVI), 2003 (XXXVIII), 2004 (XXXIX), 2014 (XLIX), 2016 (LI), 2018 (LIII)
Conference championships: 12 AFC: 1985, 1996, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2011, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2025
Division championships: 23 AFL East: 1963 AFC East: 1978, 1986, 1996, 1997, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2025
Playoff appearances (29)
AFL: 1963 NFL: 1976, 1978, 1982, 1985, 1986, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2025
Owner(s)
Billy Sullivan (1959–1988) Victor Kiam (1988–1992) James Orthwein (1992–1994) Robert Kraft (1994–present)

The New England Patriots are a famous American football team. They play in the National Football League (NFL). Their home games are at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. This stadium is about 22 miles (35 km) southwest of Boston. The Patriots are one of the most valuable sports teams in the world. They have sold out every home game since 1994!

The team started in 1959 as the Boston Patriots. They were part of the American Football League (AFL). In 1970, they joined the NFL. The team played in different stadiums in Boston. In 1971, they moved to Foxborough and became the New England Patriots. Robert Kraft bought the team in 1994. He still owns them today.

For many years, the Patriots had mixed results. But everything changed in 2001. With coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady, they became super successful. This time was called the "Brady–Belichick era." It was one of the greatest sports dynasties ever! The Patriots won six Super Bowls, which ties them for the most wins. They also hold records for most Super Bowl appearances (12) and losses (6).

The Patriots also set many other NFL records. These include the most wins in a 10-year period (126 wins from 2003 to 2012). They had the longest winning streak (21 games from 2003 to 2004). They also had 19 consecutive winning seasons from 2001 to 2019. In 2007, they had a perfect 16-0 regular season. They also have many postseason victories.

Team History and Achievements

Early Years in the AFL (1959–1970)

On November 16, 1959, Billy Sullivan, a Boston businessman, started the eighth team in the new American Football League (AFL). Fans helped choose the team's name. They picked "Boston Patriots" to honor the colonists who fought in the American Revolution. Artist Phil Bissell then created the "Pat Patriot" logo.

The Patriots played in several stadiums around Boston. In 1963, they won their first playoff game. They then lost the AFL championship game to the San Diego Chargers. The team did not reach the playoffs again for 13 years.

Joining the NFL and Moving to New England (1970–2000)

In 1970, the AFL and NFL merged. The Patriots joined the American Football Conference (AFC) East division. In 1971, the team moved to a new stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. They changed their name to the New England Patriots.

During the 1970s, the Patriots made the playoffs twice. They lost in the first round both times. In 1982, during a very snowy home game, a snowplow cleared a spot for the Patriots' kicker. This helped them kick the winning field goal. The NFL later banned snowplows on the field during games.

In 1985, coach Raymond Berry led the team to their first AFC Championship. They played in Super Bowl XX but lost to the Chicago Bears.

Changes in Ownership and New Look

The Patriots changed owners several times in the late 1980s and early 1990s. In 1993, Bill Parcells became the new coach. The team also got a new logo and uniforms. Their colors changed from red, white, and blue to blue and silver.

In 1994, Robert Kraft bought the team for $175 million. Kraft also owned the team's stadium, Foxboro Stadium. He kept the team in New England. Under coach Parcells, the Patriots reached Super Bowl XXXI in 1996. They lost to the Green Bay Packers.

The Brady–Belichick Era (2000–2019)

In 2000, the Patriots hired Bill Belichick as head coach. Their new home, Gillette Stadium, opened in 2002. In 2001, starting quarterback Drew Bledsoe was injured. Backup quarterback Tom Brady took over. Brady, drafted in the sixth round in 2000, became the team's starter for 18 years.

Under Belichick and Brady, the Patriots became a dominant team. They won three Super Bowls in four seasons: 2001, 2003, and 2004. They also won their division in 2005 and 2006.

An Almost Perfect Season

In 2007, the Patriots had a perfect 16–0 regular season. They were only the fourth team in NFL history to do this. They reached Super Bowl XLII but lost to the Giants. This ended their chance for a perfect 19–0 season. During this season, the Patriots were fined for videotaping signals from an unauthorized area. Coach Belichick was also fined.

Postseason Challenges

In 2008, Brady was injured. The team finished 11–5 but missed the playoffs. Brady returned in 2009, leading the team to a division title. However, they lost in the Wild Card Round. In 2010, they won their division but lost in the Divisional Round.

The Patriots returned to the Super Bowl in 2011. They lost again to the Giants. They continued to win their division in 2012 and 2013. However, they lost in the AFC Championship both years.

Return to Winning Ways

In 2014, the Patriots won their division. They defeated the Baltimore Ravens and Indianapolis Colts in the playoffs. They then reached Super Bowl XLIX.

During the 2015 AFC Championship, there were claims that the Patriots used under-inflated footballs. This was called "Deflategate." The NFL investigated and suspended Tom Brady. The team was also fined. Brady's suspension was later upheld. Despite this, the Patriots won Super Bowl XLIX against the Seattle Seahawks. Rookie cornerback Malcolm Butler made a game-winning interception.

In 2016, the Patriots reached their ninth Super Bowl. They faced the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI. They were losing 28–3 in the third quarter. But they made an incredible comeback, scoring 25 unanswered points. They won in the first-ever Super Bowl overtime. This was their fifth Super Bowl victory.

The Patriots reached their tenth Super Bowl in 2017. They lost to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LII. In 2018, they won Super Bowl LIII against the Los Angeles Rams. This was their sixth Super Bowl win, tying the record with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Post-Brady Era (2019–present)

After the 2019 season, Tom Brady left the Patriots. The team then had some challenging years. In 2020, they missed the playoffs with a losing record. They drafted Mac Jones in 2021. Jones led them to the playoffs, but they lost in the Wild Card round. The team missed the postseason in 2022 and 2023.

In January 2024, Bill Belichick and the Patriots parted ways after 24 years. Mike Vrabel was named the new head coach. The Patriots selected Drake Maye third overall in the 2024 NFL draft. In the 2025 season, the Patriots had a great year. They finished with a 14–3 record and won the AFC East. They won two playoff games and reached Super Bowl LX. However, they were defeated by the Seattle Seahawks.

Team Logos and Uniforms

Primary Logos

• 

  The "Pat Patriot" logo was used from 1961 to 1992. It is now a secondary logo.
• 

  The "Flying Elvis" logo has been used since 1993. The blue color was darkened in 2000.

The Patriots' first helmet logo in 1960 was a simple tricorne hat. From 1961 to 1992, they used a logo of a Revolutionary War minuteman hiking a football. This became known as the "Pat Patriot" logo.

In 1993, a new logo was introduced. It showed the gray face of a minuteman with a red, white, and blue hat. This hat looked like a flowing banner. Fans called it the "Flying Elvis" because it looked like Elvis Presley. In 2000, the blue color in the logo was changed to a darker shade.

• 

  The Patriots' wordmark from 1960 to 1992.
• 

  The Patriots' wordmark from 1993 to 2013. The blue was darkened in 2000.

Team Uniforms

Uniforms from 1960–1992

The Patriots' uniforms stayed mostly the same for their first 30 years. They wore red jerseys at home and white jerseys on the road. Both had white pants and helmets with the "Pat Patriot" logo. Blue stripes were added to the helmet in 1964. Sometimes, they wore red pants with their white jerseys.

Uniforms from 1993–1999

In 1993, the team completely changed its look. They introduced the "Flying Elvis" logo. The new uniforms had royal blue home jerseys and white away jerseys. The helmet was silver with the new logo. They used silver pants, but the stripes changed after one season. In 1995, the numbers on the jerseys became more rounded.

Uniforms from 2000–2019

In 2000, the Patriots switched back to block numbers. The blue color changed to a darker "nautical blue." The team also added blue pants to wear with their white jerseys. This gave a better contrast. They mostly wore silver pants with blue jerseys and navy pants with white jerseys.

Uniforms from 2020–Present

In 2020, the Patriots changed their uniforms again. Their all-blue "Color Rush" design became the main home uniform. A matching white uniform was also introduced. Both uniforms had shoulder stripes that looked like the old "Pat Patriot" uniforms. In 2022, silver pants were brought back to wear with both home and away jerseys. In 2025, white pants were also reintroduced for road games. The Patriots wore white pants and white jerseys in Super Bowl LX.

Alternate Uniforms

The Patriots have used several alternate uniforms. In 1994, they wore their old "Pat Patriot" helmets and red jerseys. In 2002, they brought back a red jersey as an alternate. This was worn with the "Pat Patriot" helmet. They also had a silver jersey alternate from 2003 to 2007.

In 2009, the red alternate uniform returned. In 2013, the NFL banned throwback alternate helmets. This meant the red uniforms were temporarily retired. However, the NFL allowed alternate helmets again in 2022. The Patriots then brought back their throwback red uniforms.

In 2016, the Patriots wore special monochrome navy uniforms for the "Color Rush" program. These uniforms became the basis for their current primary uniforms. In 2025, the Patriots unveiled a "Rivalries" uniform called the "Nor'easter." It features a storm blue base with white and navy stripes.

Team Facilities

Stadium and Headquarters

Since 2002, the Patriots' home stadium has been Gillette Stadium. It is in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Robert Kraft privately funded this $350 million stadium. It also holds the team's practice facilities and offices. In 2023, the Patriots installed the largest video board in the United States. Gillette Stadium has hosted many playoff games.

From 1971 to 2002, the Patriots played in Foxboro Stadium. Before that, they played in several fields around Boston.

Stadium History

Stadium	Location	Duration
Boston University Field	Boston, Massachusetts	1960–1962
Fenway Park		1963–1968
Alumni Stadium	Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts	1969
Harvard Stadium	Allston, Massachusetts	1970
Foxboro Stadium	Foxborough, Massachusetts	1971–2001
Gillette Stadium		2002–present

Team Aircraft

In 2017, the Patriots bought two Boeing 767-300ER planes. This made them the first NFL team to own their own planes. These planes are sometimes called "AirKrafts" after owner Robert Kraft. They are used for team travel.

Team Rivalries

The Patriots have strong rivalries with other teams in their division. These include the Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, and New York Jets. They also have rivalries with the Indianapolis Colts, Baltimore Ravens, and Pittsburgh Steelers. Outside the AFC, they have a rivalry with the New York Giants.

Team Strategy and Influence

Under coach Bill Belichick, the Patriots had a special way of playing. They focused on teamwork, hard work, and players who could play many positions. This team culture was called the "Patriot Way." It emphasized being prepared, working hard, and putting the team first.

Championship Wins

Super Bowl Championships

The New England Patriots have won six Super Bowls. This ties them for the most wins in NFL history. They won back-to-back championships in 2003 and 2004. Between 2001 and 2004, they won three Super Bowls in four years.

Year	Coach	Super Bowl	Location	Opponent	Score	Record
2001	Bill Belichick	XXXVI	Louisiana Superdome (New Orleans)	St. Louis Rams	20–17	11–5
2003		XXXVIII	Reliant Stadium (Houston)	Carolina Panthers	32–29	14–2
2004		XXXIX	Alltel Stadium (Jacksonville)	Philadelphia Eagles	24–21	14–2
2014		XLIX	University of Phoenix Stadium (Glendale)	Seattle Seahawks	28–24	12–4
2016		LI	NRG Stadium (Houston)	Atlanta Falcons	34–28 (OT)	14–2
2018		LIII	Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)	Los Angeles Rams	13–3	11–5
Total Super Bowls won:					6

AFC Championships

The Patriots have won twelve AFC Championships. This is the most conference championships in NFL history.

Year	Coach	Location	Opponent	Score	Record
1985	Raymond Berry	Miami Orange Bowl (Miami)	Miami Dolphins	31–14	11–5
1996	Bill Parcells	Foxboro Stadium (Foxborough)	Jacksonville Jaguars	20–6	11–5
2001	Bill Belichick	Heinz Field (Pittsburgh)	Pittsburgh Steelers	24–17	11–5
2003		Gillette Stadium (Foxborough)	Indianapolis Colts	23–20	14–2
2004		Heinz Field (Pittsburgh)	Pittsburgh Steelers	41–27	14–2
2007		Gillette Stadium (Foxborough)	San Diego Chargers	21–12	16–0
2011			Baltimore Ravens	23–20	13–3
2014			Indianapolis Colts	45–7	12–4
2016			Pittsburgh Steelers	36–17	14–2
2017			Jacksonville Jaguars	24–20	13–3
2018		Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City)	Kansas City Chiefs	37–31 (OT)	11–5
2025	Mike Vrabel	Empower Field at Mile High (Denver)	Denver Broncos	10–7	14–3
Total AFC Championships won:				12

Division Championships

The Patriots have won 23 division championships. This is the second-most all-time in the NFL. One title was in the AFL East (1963). The rest were in the AFC East of the NFL.

Year	Coach	Record
1963	Mike Holovak	7–6–1
1978	Chuck Fairbanks	11–5
1986	Raymond Berry	11–5
1996	Bill Parcells	11–5
1997	Pete Carroll	10–6
2001	Bill Belichick	11–5
2003		14–2
2004		14–2
2005		10–6
2006		12–4
2007		16–0
2009		10–6
2010		14–2
2011		13–3
2012		12–4
2013		12–4
2014		12–4
2015		12–4
2016		14–2
2017		13–3
2018		11–5
2019		12–4
2025	Mike Vrabel	14–3
Total Division Championships won:		23

Team Statistics and Awards

Season-by-Season Results

Here are the Patriots' results for their last five completed seasons.

Note: The finish, wins, losses, and ties columns list regular season results and exclude any postseason play.

Super Bowl champions

Conference champions

Division champions

Wild Card berth

As of January 14,  2026 (2026 -01-14)^[update]

Season	Team	League	Conference	Division	Regular season				Postseason results	Awards
					Finish	Wins	Losses	Ties
2020	2020	NFL	AFC	East	3rd	7	9	0	—	—
2021	2021	NFL	AFC	East	2nd	10	7	0	Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Bills) 47–17	—
2022	2022	NFL	AFC	East	3rd	8	9	0	—	—
2023	2023	NFL	AFC	East	4th	4	13	0	—	—
2024	2024	NFL	AFC	East	4th	4	13	0	—	—
2025	2025	NFL	AFC	East	1st	14	3	0	Lost Super Bowl LX (Seahawks) 10–13	Mike Vrabel (Coach of the Year)
Reference:

All-Time Leaders

All-time Patriots leaders
Leader	Name	Record number	Years with Team
Passing	Tom Brady	74,571 passing yards	2000–2019
Rushing	Sam Cunningham	5,453 rushing yards	1973–1982
Receiving	Stanley Morgan	10,352 receiving yards	1977–1989
Scoring	Stephen Gostkowski	1,775 points	2006–2019
Sacks	Andre Tippett	100.0 sacks	1982–1993
Interceptions	Raymond Clayborn	36 interceptions	1977–1989
	Ty Law		1995–2004
Coaching wins	Bill Belichick	266 wins	2000–2023

Individual Awards

Patriots players and coaches have won many league awards.

Players of Note

Current Roster

New England Patriots roster
Quarterbacks 12 Tom Brady  7 Jacoby Brissett 10 Jimmy Garoppolo Running backs -- Rex Burkhead 46 James Develin FB 27 D. J. Foster 47 Glenn Gronkowski FB 33 Dion Lewis 28 James White Wide receivers 80 Danny Amendola PR -- Brandin Cooks 11 Julian Edelman 15 Chris Hogan 16 Devin Lucien 19 Malcolm Mitchell 18 Matthew Slater 17 DeAndrew White Tight ends -- Dwayne Allen 87 Rob Gronkowski -- Rob Housler 82 Matt Lengel 85 Michael Williams		Offensive linemen 60 David Andrews C 64 Chris Barker G 61 Marcus Cannon T 65 Jamil Douglas G 66 Chase Farris G 63 Tre' Jackson G 75 Ted Karras G 69 Shaq Mason G 77 Nate Solder T 62 Joe Thuney G 68 LaAdrian Waddle T Defensive linemen 97 Alan Branch DT 90 Malcom Brown DT -- Kony Ealy DE 98 Trey Flowers DE 92 Geneo Grissom DE -- Lawrence Guy DT 74 Woodrow Hamilton DT 96 Darius Kilgo DT 99 Vincent Valentine DT		Linebackers 44 Trevor Bates OLB 55 Jonathan Freeny OLB 54 Dont'a Hightower MLB 58 Shea McClellin OLB 50 Rob Ninkovich OLB 52 Elandon Roberts MLB 53 Kyle Van Noy OLB Defensive backs 23 Patrick Chung SS 22 Justin Coleman CB 43 Nate Ebner FS -- Stephon Gilmore CB 30 Duron Harmon FS 24 Cyrus Jones CB/KR 31 Jonathan Jones CB 36 Brandon King SS 32 Devin McCourty FS 37 Jordan Richards SS 25 Eric Rowe CB Special teams  6 Ryan Allen P 49 Joe Cardona LS  3 Stephen Gostkowski K				Reserve lists Unrestricted FAs 29 LeGarrette Blount RB 38 Brandon Bolden RB 14 Michael Floyd WR 83 Greg Scruggs TE Restricted FAs 21 Malcolm Butler CB 71 Cameron Fleming T Rookies in italics Roster updated March 28, 2017 Depth Chart • Transactions 62 Active, 0 Inactive, 6 FAs → AFC rosters → NFC rosters
AFC East BUF MIA NE NYJ North BAL CIN CLE PIT South HOU IND JAX TEN West DEN KC LV LAC NFC East DAL NYG PHI WAS North CHI DET GB MIN South ATL CAR NO TB West ARI LAR SF SEA

Pro Football Hall of Famers

The Pro Football Hall of Fame has honored many players who played for the Patriots. Six players made their biggest contributions while with the team. In total, 13 people (12 players and one coach) with Patriots ties are in the Hall of Fame.

Notes:

• Hall of Famers who made a major part of their primary contribution for the Patriots are listed in bold.
• Hall of Famers who spent only a minor portion of their career with the Patriots are listed in normal font.

New England Patriots in the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Players
No.	Name	Inducted	Position(s)	Tenure
85	Buoniconti, NickNick Buoniconti	2001	LB	1962–1968
73	Hannah, JohnJohn Hannah	1991	G	1973–1985
40	Haynes, MikeMike Haynes	1997	CB	1976–1982
24	Law, TyTy Law	2019	CB	1995–2004
28	Martin, CurtisCurtis Martin	2012	RB	1995–1997
66	McMichael, SteveSteve McMichael	2024	DT	1980
81	Moss, RandyRandy Moss	2018	WR	2007–2010
24	Revis, DarrelleDarrelle Revis	2023	CB	2014
55	Seau, JuniorJunior Seau	2015	LB	2006–2009
93	Seymour, RichardRichard Seymour	2022	DE	2001–2008
56	Tippett, AndreAndre Tippett	2008	LB	1982–1993
4	Vinatieri, AdamAdam Vinatieri	2026	K	1996–2005
Coaches and Contributors
Name		Inducted	Position(s)	Tenure
Parcells, BillBill Parcells		2013	Head coach	1993–1996

Retired Numbers

The Patriots have retired several jersey numbers to honor their greatest players.

Elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame

New England Patriots retired numbers
No.	Player	Position	Tenure	Retired
12	Tom Brady	QB	2000–2019	June 12, 2024
20	Gino Cappelletti	FL/K	1960–1970	1971
40	Mike Haynes	CB	1976–1982	1996
57	Steve Nelson	LB	1974–1987	July 11, 1988
73	John Hannah	G	1973–1985	1990
78	Bruce Armstrong	T	1987–2000	September 30, 2001
79	Jim Lee Hunt	DT	1960–1970	1971
89	Bob Dee	DE	1960–1967	1968
Reference:

Patriots Hall of Fame

The Patriots have their own Hall of Fame. It honors important people in the team's history. It was started in 1991. The Hall of Fame building opened in 2008 at Patriot Place. It has many exhibits, gear, and trophies.

Elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame

Patriots Hall of Fame
No.	Name	Position	Years with club	Inducted
65	Houston Antwine~†	DL	1961–1971	2015
78	Bruce Armstrong	T	1987–2000	2001
11	Drew Bledsoe	QB	1993–2001	2011
12	Tom Brady	QB	2000–2019	2024
80	Troy Brown	WR KR/PR Coach	1993–2007 2020–2024	2012
54	Tedy Bruschi	LB	1996–2008	2013
85	Nick Buoniconti	LB	1962–1968	1992
20	Gino Cappelletti	FL/K Broadcaster	1960–1970 1972–1978, 1988–2012	1992
26	Raymond Clayborn	CB	1977–1989	2017
87	Ben Coates	TE	1991–1999	2008
39	Sam Cunningham	RB	1973–1982	2010
89	Bob Dee†	DL	1960–1967	1993
11	Julian Edelman	WR	2009–2020	2025
33	Kevin Faulk	RB	1999–2011	2016
70	Leon Gray~†	T	1973–1978	2019
14	Steve Grogan	QB	1975–1990	1995
73	John Hannah	G	1973–1985	1991
37	Rodney Harrison	S	2003–2008	2019
40	Mike Haynes	CB	1976–1982	1994
79	Jim Lee Hunt†	DT	1960–1971	1993
24	Ty Law	CB	1995–2004	2014
72	Matt Light	T	2001–2011	2018
55	Willie McGinest	LB/DE	1994–2005	2015
86	Stanley Morgan	WR	1977–1989	2007
56	Jon Morris~	C	1964–1974	2011
35	Jim Nance†	FB	1965–1971	2009
57	Steve Nelson	LB	1974–1987	1993
15	Vito "Babe" Parilli	QB	1961–1967	1993
—	Bill Parcells*	Linebackers Coach Head Coach	1980 1993–1996	2025
—	Gil Santos*	Broadcaster	1972–1979 1991–2012	2013
—	Dante Scarnecchia*	Assistant Coach	1982–1988 1991–2013 2016–2019	2023
93	Richard Seymour	DL	2001–2008	2020
—	Tracy Sormanti*†	Cheerleading Director	1983–2020	2021
—	Billy Sullivan*†	Founder/Owner	1960–1988	2009
56	Andre Tippett	LB Executive Director of Community Affairs	1982–1993 2007–present	1999
50	Mike Vrabel	LB Head coach	2001–2008 2025–present	2023
75	Vince Wilfork	DL	2004–2014	2022
Reference:

Notes:

• ^* = Inducted as a contributor
• ^~ = Inducted as a senior selection
• ^† = Posthumous induction

NFL All-Decade and Anniversary Team Selections

Many Patriots players and coaches have been named to NFL All-Decade teams. These teams honor the best players from each decade.

Bold indicates those elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Pro Bowl Selections

Many Patriots players have been chosen for the Pro Bowl. This game features the best players from the AFC and NFC.

First-Team All-Pro Selections

These Patriots players were named First-Team All-Pro. This means they were considered the best at their position in the league.

Team Administration and Personnel

Ownership History

The Patriots have had four owners. Billy Sullivan owned the team from 1959 to 1988. He helped start the team. After him, Victor Kiam owned the team.

In 1992, James Orthwein bought the team. He planned to move the team to St. Louis. But Robert Kraft, who owned the Patriots' stadium, stopped the move. Kraft then bought the team in 1994. He was a lifelong fan. Under Kraft, the Patriots became one of the most successful teams in the NFL.

In September 2025, Robert Kraft agreed to sell small parts of the team. The Kraft family still owns most of the team.

Name	Tenure	Record			Titles
		W	L	T
Billy Sullivan	1960–1987	193	202	9
Victor Kiam	1988–1991	21	43	0
James Orthwein	1992–1993	7	25	0
Robert Kraft	1994–present	324	176	0	6

Head Coaches

The Patriots have had 16 head coaches. Mike Vrabel became the 16th head coach in January 2025. He also played for the team.

Bill Belichick was the head coach for 23 seasons (2000–2023). He is considered one of the greatest coaches ever. He led the Patriots to 17 division titles and nine Super Bowl appearances. They won six Super Bowls under his leadership. Belichick holds many NFL coaching records. He was named NFL Coach of the Year three times.

Belichick joined the Patriots in 2000. He had previously worked with Bill Parcells. Parcells coached the Patriots from 1993 to 1996. The Patriots acquired Belichick in a trade with the New York Jets. This trade also led to the Patriots drafting Tom Brady.

Name	Tenure	Record			Titles
		W	L	T
Lou Saban	1960–1961	7	12	0
Mike Holovak	1961–1968	52	49	9
Clive Rush	1969–1970	5	16	0
John Mazur	1971–1972	9	21	0
Phil Bengtson*	1972	1	4	0
Chuck Fairbanks	1973–1978	46	39	0
Ron Erhardt	1979–1981	21	28	0
Ron Meyer	1982–1984	18	15	0
Raymond Berry	1984–1989	48	39	0
Rod Rust	1990	1	15	0
Dick MacPherson	1991–1992	8	24	0
Bill Parcells	1993–1996	32	32	0
Pete Carroll	1997–1999	27	21	0
Bill Belichick	2000–2023	266	121	0	6
Jerod Mayo	2024	4	13	0
Mike Vrabel	2025–present	14	3	0

Note:

• ^* = Interim coach

Team Culture

Cheerleaders

The New England Patriots Cheerleaders are the team's professional cheerleading squad. They represent the team in the NFL.

Mascots

The Patriots' official mascot is Pat Patriot. He is a Revolutionary War minuteman. He wears a Patriots jersey. The team also has the End Zone Militia. This group of reenactors fires blank muskets when the Patriots score.

Fans

The Patriots have many fans in the New England region of the United States. They also have fans in Canada.

Radio and Television Coverage

The Patriots' main radio station is WBZ-FM (98.5 FM). Their radio network has 37 stations across seven states. Bob Socci and Scott Zolak are the current announcers.

Most Patriots regular-season games are shown on CBS's WBZ-TV. Games against NFC teams are on Fox affiliate WFXT-TV. NBC Sunday Night Football games are on Boston NBC station WBTS-CD.

See also

In Spanish: New England Patriots para niños