The New England Patriots (NFL) were a professional football franchise that operated from 1971 until 2002. (1978-1980) New England Tea Men (NASL) New England Revolution (MLS) Foxboro Stadium, formerly known as Schaefer Stadium and subsequently Sullivan Stadium, was an outdoor stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, United States. The stadium was built in 1950 and was originally known as Schaefer Stadium after its primary tenant, the Boston Braves baseball team of the National League. When the Patriots joined the NFL in 1972, they took over the operations of the stadium and it became known as Foxboro Stadium.
They played their home games at Foxboro Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts until 2001, when they moved into Gillette Stadium in nearby Gilchrest Township. They will play their first game in their new stadium on September 10, 2007, against the Chicago Bears.
The Patriots won two Super Bowls during their existence, in 1972 vs. Miami and 1973 vs. Oakland. They are the only NFL team to win both their opening game and closing game in the same season twice.
After the 2002 season ended with a 34-7 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs, the Patriots announced their intention to move away from Foxboro and seek a new stadium location. On April 24, 2003, the Patriots filed for relocation to Maryland where the state legislature would need to approve the move.
The Foxborough, Massachusetts-based New England Patriots are an American football team. The Patriots compete in the National Football League (NFL). They have won 17 of their 18 available Super Bowl trophies, including 14 straight from 1994 to 2007 and most recently in 2019. The only exception is the one loss that they suffered at the hands of the Baltimore Ravens in the first game of the 2004 season.
The Patriots were founded in 1965 by Robert K. Kraft, who was then a young businessman with no previous association with sports. He originally hired former Boston University quarterback and Navy veteran Don Shula to be its coach. After one unsuccessful season, Shula left to take over at Miami Dolphins. He was replaced by Bum Phillips, who had coached both USC and UCLA during their glory days.
In their first year, the Patriots played as an expansion team in the NFL and finished with a 3-11 record. However, due to a league rule at the time, they were awarded the #1 draft pick for next year's draft. This began a streak of being either first or second in the draft every year except 1973 when they were tied with Dallas at the top of the ladder.
The New England Patriots are a professional American football team headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. The team's home games are held at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, which is located 22 miles (35 kilometers) southwest of downtown Boston. The Patriots have won two Super Bowls - XXXVI and XLII - and have appeared in nine NFL Championships.
The Patriots were founded in 1965 by Robert K. Kraft, who was then a young real estate developer with no previous sports experience. He hired former Boston University quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Tom Brady to be their head coach. The two had been classmates at BU and remained close friends after Brady left school to pursue his career. In the same year that the Patriots were born, so too were the Oakland Raiders and the Minnesota Vikings; both teams have since relocated away from New England.
Brady led the Patriots to a 17-1 record and their first of four consecutive undefeated regular seasons during his first season as head coach. The team's offensive prowess can be seen through the fact that they ranked first in points scored (446), third in yards gained (5,577), and fourth in minutes played (483). Defense was not ignored though, as the Patriots also ranked first in fewest points allowed (176).
In the championship game of the 1966 AFL Championship Game, the Patriots faced off against the San Diego Chargers.
The Patriots played at Fenway Park, the baseball home of the Boston Red Sox, from 1963 to 1969. Then, in 1971, two big events occurred. The club was renamed the New England Patriots and relocated to a new 60,764-seat stadium in Foxboro, roughly 25 miles south of Boston.
The Patriots originally were based in Boston's North Shore, but they moved to Foxborough in 1971 when owner Edward J. DeBartolo Sr. bought up much of the surrounding land for future expansion options. The team has since then added three more stadiums in which to play their games (see below).
Foxboro is a town of 110,000 people located about 20 minutes north of Boston. The city was previously known as "New Britain" until it obtained its own charter in 1866.
The Patriots have been one of the most successful teams in football history, with a record of 93-59 during their first four seasons before falling short of the Super Bowl each time. They've returned to the game's biggest stage every year since 1974 and have never lost a game when playing in their home stadium.
In addition to their NFL accomplishments, the Patriots have won five World Championships in the now-defunct American Football League. They're the only team to win both a National Football League title and an AFL title in the same season.
1971 The Patriots also struggled to locate a permanent home stadium, spending ten years playing in four separate Boston-area locales. The club relocated to Foxborough in 1971 and was christened the New England Patriots after becoming a member of the NFL following the 1970 AFL-NFL merger. Prior to this, they were known as the Boston Patriots.
In addition to their new name, the Patriots also adopted a new color scheme of white jerseys with red stripes and blue pants. This uniform design would remain in place for the entire original Patriots era (1971-1990).
They finished their inaugural season at Fenway Park with a 10-4 record before moving into their own stadium the following year. The Patriots won their first Super Bowl in 1972 over the Miami Dolphins. Through 2010, they have only been defeated once when going for multiple wins (XXVI-XXVII). That loss came in 2004 when Brett Favre led the Green Bay Packers to a 29-0 victory over Tom Brady and his team.
Brady has been named MVP of the NFL's annual awards ceremony six times, more than any other player: 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014. He is the only quarterback to win back-to-back MVPs.
Other notable players from the original Patriots era include wide receivers Terry Glenn and Wes Chandler, defensive linemen Ted Washington and Billy Newsome, and center Mike Kenn.
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