New England Patriots

 

The New England Patriots, also commonly referred to as just the “Pats”, were established in 1959 when the American Football League was starting up. They are now part of the NFL, playing in the AFC East and doing a great job of it. The team is headquartered in Gillette Stadium located in Foxborough, Massachusetts; they also use the stadium for all of their home games and have been doing so since 2002. The team colors are Nautical Blue, New Century Silver, Red, and White; colors that were usually associated with the American Revolution army uniforms. Their mascot is Pat Patriot, is large man wearing the Patriots jersey and is at all of the home games. The Patriots have been able to accomplish many great things, and most of them have happened starting in the 2000 season.

 

Patriots Brief Team History

Nearing the end of 1959 Billy Sullivan, a Boston business executive, was awarded the 8th and final franchise when the American Football League was starting. Being based out of Boston, they decided to name the team the Boston Patriots. During their time in the AFL, they moved around to different stadiums quite often, playing their home games in Nickerson Field until 1962, then in Fenway Park until 1968, and finally using Alumni Stadium their last year in the AFL. By 1970, when the AFL – NFL merger took place, the Patriots joined the NFL. In 1971 they relocated to their current headquarters in Foxborough and changed their name to the New England Patriots.

The Patriots did not really have any notable moments in the AFL, or the beginning of the NFL. By 1986 they had already appeared in four playoffs and were making their debut in the 1986 Super Bowl, but lost against the Chicago Bears. They once again appeared in the 1997 Super Bowl, and lost against the Green Bay Packers. Their true success and fame began in the 2000’s, where the Patriots became one of the most successful NFL teams in history. They have participated in seven Super Bowls, winning three of them in 2001, 2003, and 2004; becoming the second team in the NFL to win three Super Bowls in four years. Between 2001 and 2010 the Patriots set a record for most wins in a decade with 126. The Patriots certainly have outdone themselves in the past decade, getting a 21-game streak in the 2003 season.

 

Notable Patriots Figures

The Patriots became one of the most successful teams in the NFL thanks to the many great people that surrounded and made it into what it is today.

 

Past Patriots Figures

 

Sam Cunningham was a Patriots fullback from 1973 to 1982, where he was able to greatly help the team during those years. He was great at rushing the ball, but also proved a great player to pass the ball too. He ended his career with over 5,000 rushing yards and 49 touchdowns.

 

Stanley Morgan was a wide receiver that played for the Pats from 1977 to 1989. He was there helping the team the three different seasons they made it into the playoffs, and the 1986 Super Bowl appearance. He was a great receiver, catching for over 10,000 yards and getting 72 touchdowns before retiring.

 

Drew Bledsoe was the Patriots quarterback from 1993 to 2001, where he started his professional football career. He was a crucial member of the team when they won the 2001 Super Bowl. He was the only QB in NFL history with four seasons of over 600 pass attempts, as well as having most TD passes in overtime with 4. He ended his career with over 44,000 yards and 251 touchdowns.

 

Present Patriots Figures

 

Bill Belichick has been the head coach for the Patriots since 2000, leading the team to their three Super Bowl championships, along with another two Super Bowl appearances. During his time with the Patriots, he has gotten an impressive win to loss ratio of 155 – 59; making him one of the most valuable coaches the Patriots has ever had.

 

Tom Brady is at the front of the Patriots offense, becoming one of the most famous and skilled quarterbacks in NFL history. He started with the Patriots in 2000, but really jump started his career in 2001. He has an excellent passing record, and is one of the main reasons the Patriots is able to do so well. He is a great leader on the field, directing his teammates in perfect harmony in order to win games.

 

Wide receiver’s Wes Welker and Brandon Lloyd, along with tight end Rob Gronkowski make the passing game of the Patriots look easy. Each being able to catch for more than 1,000 yards in any given season, and during the 2012 season they have been doing even better than their previous seasons. They truly compliment the great skills that Tom Brady has and allows for many different passing options.

 

Stevan Ridley is the current running back of the Patriots. He started out in 2011, but is truly getting his stride in 2012. He has already managed to get over 500 rushing yards and four touchdowns, and that will not be the last we see of Ridley, as he gains more playing time and experience, he will be a great player to rely on.

 

Present Team Personnel

The current owner of the New England Patriots is a man by the name of Robert Kraft. For those that do not recognize his last name, he is the CEO of The Kraft Group, and bought the team in 1994 for $174 million; at the time the Patriots were one of the least valuable franchises in the NFL. Now the Patriots have become a true powerhouse in the NFL, proving that Kraft made a smart choice. The Patriots head coach since 2000 is Bill Belichick, a man that truly knows how to prepare his team for success. He has been with the Patriots through their most successful years, and hopefully will continue to do great things with the Patriots.