The New England Patriots are one of a few teams in the national Football League (NFL) to defend their Super bowl title. The New England Patriots did it in Super Bowl XXXVIII and XXXIX. The New England Patriots joined the National Football League (NFL) in 1970, establishing its home in Foxboro. Because the team played its games outside of Boston, the franchise was renamed in 1971 as the New England Patriots to appeal to a greater number of fans. The New England Patriots had a marginal beginning in the National Football League (NFL), winning only seven games in a seasons between 1970 to 1975. New England Patriots made a wonderful turnaround in 1976, finishing with an 11-3 win-loss record and earning a wildcard berth to the playoffs under head coach Chuck Fairbanks. The team starred Russ Francis, John Hannah, Mike Haynes, and Steve Nelson. In 1978, led by second-year quarterback Steve Grogan, the Patriots won their first National Football League (NFL) Eastern Division crown. In the early 1980s, however, New England again dropped to the bottom of the division. Coached by Raymond Berry, the Patriots made back-to-back postseason appearances for the first time in franchise history in 1985 and 1986.

A wildcard team in 1985, New England won three fiercely contested American Football Conference (AFC) playoff games to reach Super Bowl XX, where they lost to the Chicago Bears, 46-10. In 1986 quarterback Tony Eason surpassed the 3,000-yard mark for the second time, while wide receiver Stanley Morgan led the AFC in yardage with his third 1,000-yard season. Cornerback Raymond Clayborn and linebacker Andre Tippett starred defensively. New England, however, lost in the divisional playoffs to the Denver Broncos, 22-17. The Patriots floundered from 1987 to 1993, bottoming out in 1990 with a 1-15 record. The team rebounded in 1994 behind second-year quarterback Drew Bledsoe, who led the NFL in passing yards. Former New York Giants coach Bill Parcells coached the Patriots to two more playoff appearances in 1995 and 1996. Powered by Bledsoe and running back Curtis Martin, New England captured the AFC championship in 1996 before losing in the Super Bowl to the Green Bay Packers, 35-21.

After the loss, Parcells resigned and former San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Pete Carroll was hired to replace him. Before the 2000 season, former Cleveland Browns head coach Bill Belichick got the job as the New England coach. Unlucky in the first year with a 5-11 record, Belichick built a great team in 2001. The Patriots then pulled off a series of postseason upsets, culminating in a 20-17 victory over the St. Louis Rams in the 2002 Super Bowl. Quarterback Tom Brady, who replaced Bledsoe early in the season, was named the game’s most valuable player (MVP). New England Patriots are one of  four teams in the East Division of the American Football Conference (AFC) which is part of the National Football League (NFL). The New England Patriots were known as the Boston Patriots, the Patriots home stadium is Gillette Field in Foxboro, Massachusetts, and wears uniforms of blue, red, silver, and white. The New England Patriots team’s name was inspired by Boston’s role in the American Revolution between 1775-1783.