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New England Patriots

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Sports teams

   CAPTION: New England Patriots

                            Year founded: 1960

   New England Patriots helmet
                              New England Patriots logo
             Helmet                     Logo
   City            Foxboro, Massachusetts
   Other nicknames The Pats
   Team colors     "Nautical" Blue, "New Century" Silver, Red, and White
   Head Coach      Bill Belichick
   Owner           Robert Kraft
   Mascot          Pat Patriot
   League/Conference affiliations

   American Football League (1960–69)
     * Eastern Division (1960–69)

   National Football League (1970–present)
     * American Football Conference (1970–present)
          + AFC East (1970–present)

   Team history
     * Boston Patriots (1960–70)
     * New England Patriots (1971–present)

   Championships
   League Championships (3)
     * Super Bowl Championships (3)
       2001 ( XXXVI), 2003 ( XXXVIII), 2004 ( XXXIX)

   Conference Championships (5)
     * AFC: 1985, 1996, 2001, 2003, 2004

   Division Championships (9)
     * AFL East: 1963
     * AFC East: 1978, 1986, 1996, 1997, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005

   Home fields
     * Nickerson Field (1960–62)
     * Fenway Park (1963–68)
     * Alumni Stadium (1969)
     * Harvard Stadium (1970)
     * Foxboro Stadium (1971–2001)
          + a.k.a. Schaefer Stadium (1971–82)
          + a.k.a. Sullivan Stadium (1983–89)
     * Gillette Stadium (2002–present)

   The New England Patriots, or "Pats" as frequently referred to by sports
   writers and fans are a professional American football team based in
   Foxboro, Massachusetts. They are currently members of the Eastern
   Division of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National
   Football League (NFL). Originally called the Boston Patriots, the
   ownership changed the name after relocating the team to Foxborough in
   1971.

   After forming as an original member of the American Football League,
   the Patriots joined the NFL in the league merger of 1970. The team
   advanced to the playoffs four times before their first Super Bowl
   appearance, a loss in Super Bowl XX in 1986. The team also lost Super
   Bowl XXXI in 1997. Between 2001 and 2004, 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 seventh team to win consecutive Super Bowls (XXXVIII and XXXIX).

Franchise history

1959–1991

   On November 16, 1959, Boston executive William H. "Billy" Sullivan Jr.
   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", which derived from the historical Patriots of the American
   Revolution. Several months later, Phil Bisell created the "Pat Patriot"
   logo (see section), and Lou Saban was selected as the team's first head
   coach.

   The franchise's first training camp began on July 4, 1960, two months
   prior to their first official game. On September 9 of that year, the
   Boston Patriots played the Denver Broncos in the first-ever AFL regular
   season game. The Broncos defeated the Patriots by a score of 13–10. The
   franchise played first at legendary Braves Field in Boston, the old
   home of the Boston Braves that was eventually purchased by Boston
   University, where it was renamed Nickerson Field. From 1961 to 1969,
   the Patriots played at Fenway Park, the home of the Boston Red Sox.
   5,000 temporary seats covered the left field wall, and field goals were
   regularly kicked into the right field visitors' bullpen. The Patriots
   failed to reach the playoffs in each of their first four seasons,
   despite posting a cumulative 23-17 record. However, in 1963 the
   Patriots reached the AFL Championship for the first time, resulting in
   a loss to the San Diego Chargers by a score of 51–10. Although the
   franchise lost the championship, it was honored when eleven Patriots
   made the AFL All-star team, including Gino Cappelletti, Nick
   Buoniconti, Jim Lee Hunt, Houston Antwine, Bob Dee, and Babe Parilli.

   Although Boston failed to reach the AFL playoffs for the remainder of
   the decade, the team was noted in 1966 when fullback Jim Nance gained
   1,458 yards, and the title of the American Football League's MVP. Tom
   Addison, the first Patriot All-star, founded the AFL Players
   Association in the mid 1960s.

   The Patriots' second decade began with significant changes. In 1970,
   the Patriots' franchise joined the NFL pursuant to the merger of the
   AFL and NFL that had been agreed to three years earlier. The Patriots
   were merged into the American Football Conference (AFC), where they
   remain to the present day. However, the Patriots' first season as part
   of the NFL resulted in a record of 2–12, sole possession of the newly
   merged league's worst record. Despite the lack of wins, local morale
   increased in 1971 when the Patriots moved into a new stadium in
   Foxborough (also known as Foxboro). The stadium, to be known as
   Schaefer Stadium, became Sullivan Stadium in 1983 and, ultimately,
   Foxboro Stadium in 1990. This marked stability for the Patriots, who
   shifted between four different Boston-area stadiums since its creation.
   In March 1971, the team was renamed the "New England Patriots" to
   reflect the relocation.

   By the early 1970s, several new players were added to the lineup,
   including Heisman Trophy winner Jim Plunkett and offensive lineman John
   Hannah, who became the first career Patriot to make the Hall of Fame in
   1991.Despite the changes in personnel, the Patriots' series of losing
   seasons continued into the early 1970s. Chuck Fairbanks was hired as
   head coach and general manager in 1973 after leading a top-ten program
   at the University of Oklahoma. Fairbanks began assembling one of the
   most talented - but ultimately underachieveing - squads in the NFL of
   the 1970s. The Patriots finished 7–7 in 1974 and 3–11 in 1975, which
   resulted in offensive changes. Plunkett was traded to the San Francisco
   49ers and replaced by second year player Steve Grogan.

   After the string of losing seasons, the Patriots finished the 1976
   season with an 11–3 mark — the best record in team history to that
   point — and a playoff slot for the first time since 1963. In the first
   round of the 1976 playoffs, the Patriots lost to the Oakland Raiders
   24–21. In 1978, Fairbanks was fired as head coach when it was revealed
   he had been secretly hired as the new head coach of the University of
   Colorado. Fairbanks was replaced by Ron Erhardt, who coached the team
   to a playoff appearance later that year. The Patriots lost to the
   Houston Oilers in the first round and did not return to the tournament
   until 1982. Under new coach Ron Meyer, the Patriots were once again
   eliminated in the first game — this time by the Miami Dolphins. With
   the team consistently unable to assemble playoff victories, the
   Sullivans replaced head coach Ron Meyer with former wide receiver
   Raymond Berry in 1984.

   In the 1985 regular season, the team finished with an 11-5 record and
   obtained a wild card playoff berth. The Patriots won three road playoff
   games on their way to Super Bowl XX — an NFL record. At Super Bowl XX,
   the Patriots surrendered a 3-0 first quarter lead and lost to the
   Chicago Bears by a score of 46-10. The following season, New England
   won the AFC East with another 11–5 record, but fell to the Broncos in
   the first round of the playoffs. Local resident Doug Flutie was a
   member of the Patriots during the 1987–1988 seasons, in which they
   finished with records of 8–7 and 9–7, respectively. Berry remained head
   coach through both seasons.

   During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Patriots' lack of playoff
   appearances was underscored by personnel changes and controversy within
   the Sullivan ownership. The Sullivan family lost millions of dollars on
   expensive investments, including The Jacksons' 1984 Victory tour.
   Additional pressure was placed on the ownership when they calculated
   that $100 million was already invested in the franchise. These
   financial losses and demands forced the Sullivans to sell the team in
   1988. The highest bidder was Victor Kiam, who purchased the team for
   $84 million — $16 million less than the cost of the team. Although Kiam
   was now the full owner, he decided to keep Billy Sullivan and his son,
   Pat Sullivan, as franchise president and General Manager respectively.
   Meanwhile, entrepreneur Robert Kraft began his involvement with the
   Patriots by purchasing Sullivan Stadium (previously Schaefer Stadium)
   on November 23, 1988. Essensially, Kraft owned the stadium and Kiam
   possessed the team. During this leadership change, head coach Berry was
   replaced by Rod Rust — a change that was short-lived.

   The Patriots' worst season in franchise history — a 1-15 record — came
   under Rust in 1990. During the season, the Patriots were thrown into
   the middle of a sexual harassment scandal when Boston Herald reporter
   Lisa Olson was sexually and verbally assaulted by several Patriots
   players in the team's locker room — a bad situation made worse by Kiam
   first deriding the reporter as "a classic [explitive]" and by making
   lewd jokes at public events about the whole affair instead of allowing
   it to die quietly. Following an investigation into the scandal, NFL
   Commissioner Paul Tagliabue fined the team $50,000, and players Zeke
   Mowatt, Michael Timpson and Robert Perryman $12,500, $5,000, and $5,000
   respectively. Rust was fired and replaced by Dick MacPherson at the end
   of the season. The Olson scandal and the 1-15 record are cited as the
   two primary reasons why Rod Rust was told to leave.

1992–2001

   In 1992, St. Louis businessman James Orthwein became sole owner of the
   Patriots franchise, sparking rumors of a possible franchise relocation
   to St. Louis. However, no move was scheduled for the 1992 season,
   despite a sub-par 1992 season. During the 1992-1993 offseason, the
   Patriots shifted gears by replacing MacPherson with Bill Parcells. The
   team's draft selections for the offseason included Drew Bledsoe, who
   quarterbacked the team until 2001. Despite these acquisitions, the 1993
   season resulted in a losing record, and rumors about relocation to St.
   Louis resparked during the offseason. In order to save the team from
   relocation, Robert Kraft outbid an intense field of competition and
   obtained full ownership of the Patriots in 1994. Kraft implemented
   changes in organization and leadership, which culminated in a
   ten-season stadium sell-out streak from 1996 to the present.

   New England entered the 1994 season after drafting first round and
   fourth overall pick Willie McGinest, who would later play linebacker on
   all three Super Bowl-winning teams. Although the team lost in the first
   round of the 1994 playoffs and finished the 1995 season with a 6–10
   record, Kraft decided to keep Parcells. In 1996, the Patriots finished
   with an 11–5 record and an AFC East division championship. The team
   eventually advanced to Super Bowl XXXI, where they lost to the Green
   Bay Packers 35–21.

   Due to rising tensions between Parcells and Kraft, Parcells resigned,
   and was replaced by Pete Carroll in 1997. Meanwhile, the Patriots and
   the New York Jets began switching players and coaches, including
   current Jets head coach Eric Mangini, the aforementioned Parcells, and
   running back Curtis Martin. Nevertheless, New England finished 1997
   with a 10–6 record and first place in the AFC East. The Patriots
   defeated the Miami Dolphins 17–3 at home in the opening round, before
   losing against the Pittsburgh Steelers by a score of 7–6. In the 1998
   season, the Patriots finished 9–7, and lost to the Jacksonville Jaguars
   in the first round of the playoffs. A subpar 1999 season resulted in
   Carroll's firing.

2000-present

   After Carroll was fired, Bill Belichick, hand-picked to be Parcells'
   successor with the Jets, quit after one day as Jets head coach to join
   New England. In 2000, Belichick's first season resulted in a 5–11
   record. In 2001 Patriot quarterback Drew Bledsoe was injured early in
   the season on a hit by Jets linebacker Mo Lewis, and was replaced by
   Tom Brady, who led the team into the playoffs with an 11–5 record. The
   Patriots defeated the Oakland Raiders and Pittsburgh Steelers and
   advanced to Super Bowl XXXVI, where they defeated the St. Louis Rams on
   a last-second Adam Vinatieri field goal. In New England's first Super
   Bowl victory, Brady was selected Super Bowl MVP. Bledsoe was traded to
   the Buffalo Bills in the 2002 off-season.

   In 2002, Robert Kraft opened the new Gillette Stadium after privately
   funding its construction. After getting no support from the
   Commonwealth of Massachusetts to build a new stadium, Kraft made a deal
   to move the team to Hartford, Connecticut in 1998. However,
   environmental cleanup problems with the Hartford site, combined with
   Massachusetts' eventual willingness to loan $57,000,000 in
   infrastructure costs around Foxboro to be repaid through parking
   revenue led to a reversal of the Hartford deal. As a result of threats
   of lawsuits by Connecticut Governor John Rowland, Kraft paid $2.4M to
   Connecticut to avoid any future litigation. The state-of-the-art
   stadium is widely considered to be one of the premier stadiums in NFL
   Football.

   The Patriots missed the 2002 playoffs after finishing with a record of
   9–7. In 2003, the Patriots started 2–2 but finished with a 14–2 record
   and fourteen straight wins on their way to Super Bowl XXXVIII against
   the Carolina Panthers. The Patriots won by a score of 32–29; the final
   three points came from another Adam Vinatieri field goal. Brady was
   named Super Bowl MVP for the second time in his career.
   Patriot fans rally in front of Boston City Hall following the 2004
   championship
   Enlarge
   Patriot fans rally in front of Boston City Hall following the 2004
   championship

   In 2004 the Patriots broke the all-time winning streak record of 18
   consecutive wins, following a victory against the Miami Dolphins. Later
   in the season, the Patriots lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers, which
   halted their winning streak at 21 games. However, the NFL only counts
   regular-season wins in determining the consecutive wins record, so the
   Patriots' streak officially stands at 18 games.

   After finishing the 2004 season with a 14-2 record, the Patriots
   defeated the Indianapolis Colts and Pittsburgh Steelers en route to
   Super Bowl XXXIX. The Patriots went on to defeat the Philadelphia
   Eagles by a score of 24–21. The victory made the Patriots the first
   team in six years (and the eighth in history) to repeat as NFL Super
   Bowl champions, and the second team ever to win three Super Bowls in
   four years (next to the Dallas Cowboys).

   After the 2004 season, Belichick's top two coordinators — Charlie Weis
   and Romeo Crennel — left the team to pursue head coaching positions.
   Significant players moved on as well, including longtime Patriot
   cornerback Ty Law. Linebacker Tedy Bruschi missed half of the 2005
   season while recovering from a mild stroke. During the 2005 season, the
   team lost several starters to injuries, including safety Rodney
   Harrison and offensive tackle Matt Light. In the final game of the
   season, Doug Flutie performed the first successful dropkick extra point
   since 1941. At the end of the season, the Patriots won the AFC East
   with a 10–6 record. The Patriots defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars 28–3
   in the first round of the playoffs before losing to the Broncos 27–13.
   New England became the seventh team in NFL history to fail on a chance
   to win the Super Bowl in three consecutive seasons, the last team to do
   so being the Broncos.

   The 2006 off-season saw the departure and arrival of several personnel.
   Dean Pees took over as defensive coordinator when Eric Mangini left the
   team to become head coach of the New York Jets. Quarterbacks coach Josh
   McDaniels was promoted to offensive coordinator after New England went
   one season without replacing Charlie Weis. Notable Patriot players
   David Givens, Willie McGinest, and Adam Vinatieri left New England for
   the Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, and Indianapolis Colts
   respectively. Deion Branch would later be traded to the Seattle
   Seahawks. Despite this, they are still 8-3 and leading the AFC East.

   The Kraft years have provided a major turnaround for the fan base of
   the Patriots. Prior to Kraft's arrival, the Patriots rarely played at
   Foxboro Stadium's maximum capacity (with the only exception being the
   highly successful 1986 season). The attendance was particularly low
   during the early 1990s, when poor performance and the aforementioned
   rumors of franchise relocation to St. Louis loomed; the average home
   attendance was below 60% of maximum capacity. However, the improvements
   made during Bill Parcells' coaching tenure (both on and off the field)
   resulted in a rejuvenation of the fan base. From the 1996 season
   onward, every Patriots home game has sold out, both at Foxboro and
   Gillette stadiums, including preseason games.

Logo and uniforms

   The original Patriot logo was a stylized depiction of a Revolutionary
   War tricorne hat. Midway through the first season, it was replaced by
   an image of a New England Revolutionary War minuteman snapping a
   football, developed by artist Phil Bissell. Initial Patriots owner
   William Sullivan coined the logo's nickname — "Pat Patriot" — in late
   1961. The team's original uniforms used a colour scheme matching that
   of the American flag — red and white shirts, blue stripes on the
   sleeves, and white pants and helmets. As with most NFL teams, the
   helmets featured the team logo on both sides.

   In 1979, the Patriots enhanced the American flag colour arrangement by
   introducing red pants worn with the white and blue jerseys — a design
   that was used for home games. The pant design was reverted for the 1982
   and 1983 seasons. In 1984, the Patriots introduced red jerseys and
   white pants, but in the 1985 season the team wore the white jerseys
   during all home games. However, in Super Bowl XX, the Patriots opted to
   wear their red jerseys as the designated home team against the Chicago
   Bears after road playoff victories over the New York Jets and Miami
   Dolphins wearing the red jerseys.

   In 1993, changes to the Patriots' uniforms and logo were rolled out by
   owner James B. Orthwein and NFL Properties. The "Pat Patriot" logo was
   replaced with the silhouette of a Patriot head wearing a
   red-white-and-blue tricorne hat — a symbol that was nicknamed the
   "Flying Elvis" by fans. The team's jerseys were changed from red to
   "Patriot" (dark) blue, and both the helmets and pants from white to
   silver.

   In 2000, the team introduced a darker shade of blue to the jerseys.
   Blue pants were introduced with the white jerseys, and twice during the
   2002 season, the Patriots wore an all-blue combination. In 2003, the
   Patriots introduced a gray alternate jersey that is worn occasionally
   at home with the blue pants. When the Patriots wear the gray jersey,
   the visiting team is forced to don its dark jerseys.

Strategy

   The Patriots are commonly noted for their emphasis on teamwork over
   individuality. For example, in Superbowl XXXVI, the Patriots rejected
   the individual introductions previously customary to the big game and
   instead entered the field as a collective group. The Patriots are also
   known for their emphasis on a strong middle class of B+ grade players
   over a small number of highly paid superstars. This has led to a number
   of high profile players, such as Ty Law and Deion Branch, leaving the
   team in order to seek greener, higher paying pastures elsewhere. The
   idea behind the Patriots' approach is that in the current salary cap
   era, one cannot allow one's team to be to dependant on a handful of
   players who can be easily decimated by injury. In addition, the team is
   also often recognized for its intelligent, hardworking, character
   driven and versatile players. The coaching staff of the Patriots
   commonly ask their players to alter their formations in order to take
   advantages of perceived weaknesses in their opponents. For example, in
   Superbowl XXXVI the Patriots surprised everyone by unveiling an
   unconventional bump and run defense featuring five or six defensive
   backs. Troy Brown, a wide receiver, sometimes plays on the defensive
   side of the ball as a nickel cornerback, and Mike Vrabel, a linebacker
   occasionally plays on the offensive side as a wide receiver.

   The base Patriots defense is a 3-4 defense, which means that there are
   commonly three defensive linemen up front, four linebackers in the
   middle, and four defensive backs. This formation is preferred by the
   Patriots as it offers the most versatility for linebackers to attack
   unexpectedly or to drop back into coverage. The Dallas Cowboys, the
   Cleveland Browns, the Miami Dolphins, and the New York Jets are
   believed to run similar defensive systems.

   This year, the Patriots are commonly employing a two tight end set on
   offense. This means that there is often only one running back in the
   backfield with the quarterback. In addition to the two wide receivers,
   the two tight ends also provide flexibility as they can either act as
   blockers or run short receiving routes.

Season-by-season records

   Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties
   Season  W   L  T    Finish                 Playoff Results
                           Boston Patriots (AFL)
   1960   5   9   0 4th AFL East  –
   1961   9   4   1 2nd AFL East  –
   1962   9   4   1 2nd AFL East  –
   1963   7   6   1 1st AFL East  Won Divisional Playoff ( Bills)
                                  Lost AFL Championship ( Chargers)
   1964   10  3   1 2nd AFL East  –
   1965   4   8   2 3rd AFL East  –
   1966   8   4   2 2nd AFL East  –
   1967   3   10  1 5th AFL East  –
   1968   4   10  0 4th AFL East  –
   1969   4   10  0 3rd AFL East  –
                              Merged into NFL
   1970   2   12  0 5th AFC East  –
                           New England Patriots
   1971   6   8   0 3rd AFC East  –
   1972   3   11  0 5th AFC East  –
   1973   5   9   0 3rd AFC East  –
   1974   7   7   0 3rd AFC East  –
   1975   3   11  0 4th AFC East  –
   1976   11  3   0 2nd AFC East  Lost Divisional Playoffs ( Raiders)
   1977   9   5   0 3rd AFC East  –
   1978   11  5   0 1st AFC East  Lost Divisional Playoffs ( Oilers)
   1979   9   7   0 2nd AFC East  –
   1980   10  6   0 2nd AFC East  –
   1981   2   12  0 5th AFC East  –
   1982   5   4   0 7th AFC Conf. Lost First Round ( Dolphins)
   1983   8   8   0 2nd AFC East  –
   1984   9   7   0 2nd AFC East  –
   1985   11  5   0 3rd AFC East  Won Wild Card Playoffs ( Jets)
                                  Won Divisional Playoffs ( L.A. Raiders)
                                  Won Conference Championship ( Dolphins)
                                  Lost Super Bowl XX (Bears)
   1986   11  5   0 1st AFC East  Lost Divisional Playoffs ( Broncos)
   1987   8   7   0 2nd AFC East  –
   1988   9   7   0 3rd AFC East  –
   1989   5   11  0 4th AFC East  –
   1990   1   15  0 5th AFC East  –
   1991   6   10  0 4th AFC East  –
   1992   2   14  0 5th AFC East  –
   1993   5   11  0 4th AFC East  –
   1994   10  6   0 2nd AFC East  Lost Wild Card Playoffs ( Browns)
   1995   6   10  0 4th AFC East  –
   1996   11  5   0 1st AFC East  Won Divisional Playoffs ( Steelers)
                                  Won Conference Championship ( Jaguars)
                                  Lost Super Bowl XXXI ( Packers)
   1997   10  6   0 1st AFC East  Won Wild Card Playoffs ( Dolphins)
                                  Lost Divisional Playoffs ( Steelers)
   1998   9   7   0 4th AFC East  Lost Wild Card Playoffs ( Jaguars)
   1999   8   8   0 5th AFC East  –
   2000   5   11  0 5th AFC East  –
   2001   11  5   0 1st AFC East  Won Divisional Playoffs ( Raiders)
                                  Won Conference Championship ( Steelers)
                                  Won Super Bowl XXXVI ( Rams)
   2002   9   7   0 2nd AFC East  –
   2003   14  2   0 1st AFC East  Won Divisional Playoffs ( Titans)
                                  Won Conference Championship ( Colts)
                                  Won Super Bowl XXXVIII ( Panthers)
   2004   14  2   0 1st AFC East  Won Divisional Playoffs ( Colts)
                                  Won Conference Championship ( Steelers)
                                  Won Super Bowl XXXIX ( Eagles)
   2005   10  6   0 1st AFC East  Won Wild Card Playoffs ( Jaguars)
                                  Lost Divisional Playoffs ( Broncos)
   2006*  8   3   0 1st AFC East  As of November 26, 2006
   Totals 343 336 9 (regular season, 1960-2006)
          17  11  0 (playoffs, 1960-2005)
          359 347 9 (all games, 1960-2006, including AFL & NFL playoffs)

   * = Current Standing

Players and coaches of note

Current roster

   The following is accurate as of November 14, 2006.

   DEPTH CHART

   Quarterbacks
     * 12 Tom Brady
     * 16 Matt Cassel
     * 14 Vinny Testaverde

   Halfbacks
     * 28 Corey Dillon
     * 39 Laurence Maroney*
     * 33 Kevin Faulk

   Fullbacks
     * 44 Heath Evans

   Receivers
     * 80 Troy Brown
     * 87 Reche Caldwell
     * 85 Doug Gabriel
     * 10 Jabar Gaffney
     * 17 Chad Jackson*

   Tight Ends
     * 82 Daniel Graham
     * 86 David Thomas*
     * 84 Benjamin Watson



   Centers
     * 67 Dan Koppen
     * 71 Russ Hochstein C/G

   Guards
     * 70 Logan Mankins
     * 61 Stephen Neal
     * 64 Gene Mruczkowski

   Tackles
     * 65 Wesley Britt
     * 77 Nick Kaczur
     * 72 Matt Light
     * 68 Ryan O'Callaghan*

   Defensive line
     * 97 Jarvis Green DE
     * 91 Marquise Hill DE
     * 93 Richard Seymour DE
     * 90 Le Kevin Smith DT*
     * 94 Ty Warren DE
     * 75 Vince Wilfork DT
     * 99 Mike Wright DE

   Linebackers
     * 52 Eric Alexander ILB
     * 95 Tully Banta-Cain OLB
     * 54 Tedy Bruschi ILB
     * 59 Rosevelt Colvin OLB
     * 51 Don Davis ILB
     * 53 Larry Izzo ILB
     * 46 Corey Mays ILB**
     * 50 Mike Vrabel OLB
     * 58 Pierre Woods OLB**



   Defensive backs
     * 23 Willie Andrews CB*
     * 32 Rashad Baker S
     * 37 Rodney Harrison S
     * 25 Artrell Hawkins S
     * 27 Ellis Hobbs CB
     * 22 Asante Samuel CB
     * 36 James Sanders S
     * 30 Chad Scott CB
     * 26 Eugene Wilson S

   Special Teams
     * 3 Stephen Gostkowski K*
     * 66 Lonie Paxton LS
     * 15 Ken Walter P

   Physically Unable to Perform (PUP)
     * 35 Patrick Pass FB

   Injured Reserve
     * 47 Barry Gardner ILB
     * 21 Randall Gay CB
     * 34 Tebucky Jones S
     * 8 Josh Miller P
     * 45 Garrett Mills TE/FB*
     * 24 Mel Mitchell S
     * 55 Junior Seau OLB
     * 18 Matt Shelton WR**
     * 42 Gemara Williams CB**
     * 74 Billy Yates G/C

   Practice Squad
     * 5 Danny Baugher P**
     * 62 Brian Barthelmes C**
     * 76 Sean Bubin T
     * 13 Bam Childress WR
     * 19 Kelvin Kight WR
     * 29 James Patrick CB
     * 31 Antwain Spann CB**
     * 92 Santonio Thomas DE

     * * = 2006 draftee
     * ** = 2006 undrafted free agent
     * Italicized players are not on the 53-man roster.

Pro Football Hall of Famers

     * Nick Buoniconti LB
     * John Hannah G
     * Mike Haynes CB

Retired numbers

     * 20 Gino Cappelletti K/WR
     * 40 Mike Haynes CB
     * 57 Steve Nelson LB
     * 73 John Hannah G
     * 78 Bruce Armstrong T
     * 79 Jim Lee Hunt DL
     * 89 Bob Dee DL

   In addition to the seven players above, QB Steve Grogan (14), QB Babe
   Parilli (15), LB Andre Tippett (56) and LB Nick Buoniconti (85) were
   inducted into the Patriots' Hall of Fame. Although their numbers have
   not been officially retired, none were worn by Patriots players in the
   2005 season. However, in the 2006 season, #14 is currently being worn
   by Vinny Testaverde, #15 by Ken Walter, and #85 by Doug Gabriel.

Other notable alumni

     * Julius Adams DL (1971-87)
     * Sam Adams OG (1972-80)
     * Tom Addison LB (1960–67)
     * Houston Antwine DL (1961–71)
     * Drew Bledsoe QB (1993–2001)
     * Ron Burton RB (1960–65)
     * Raymond Clayborn CB (1977-89)
     * Ben Coates TE (1991–99)
     * Jim Colclough WR (1960–68)
     * Tony Collins RB (1981–1987)
     * Romeo Crennel Defensive Coordinator (2001–2004)
     * Sam Cunningham RB (1973–82)
     * Tony Eason QB (1983–89)
     * Robert Edwards RB (1998)
     * Larry Eisenhauer DL (1961–69)
     * Vincent Brisby WR (1993-1999)

     * Irving Fryar WR (1984–92)
     * Tim Fox DB (1976-81)
     * Russ Francis TE (1975-80, 1987-88)
     * David Givens WR (2002-05)
     * Terry Glenn WR (1996–2001)
     * Leon Gray OT (1973-78)
     * Steve Grogan QB (1975–90)
     * Ray Hamilton DL (1973–81)
     * Mack Herron RB (1973–75)
     * Craig James RB (1985–89)
     * Shawn Jefferson WR (1996-1999)
     * Ted Johnson LB (1995–2004)
     * Ty Law CB (1995–2004)
     * Fred Marion DB (1982-91)
     * Curtis Martin RB (1995–97)

     * Willie McGinest LB (1994-2005)
     * Lawyer Milloy SS (1996–2002)
     * Stanley Morgan WR (1977–90)
     * Jon Morris OL (1964–73)
     * Jim Nance RB (1965–72)
     * Bill Parcells Coach (1993–96)
     * Babe Parilli QB (1961–66)
     * Jim Plunkett QB (1971–76)
     * Antowain Smith RB (2001–2003)
     * Darryl Stingley WR (1973–77)
     * Mosi Tatupu RB (1978–90)
     * Adam Vinatieri K (1996-2005)
     * Ted Washington DT (2003)
     * Charlie Weis Offensive Coordinator (1993–96, 2000–2004)
     * Damien Woody C (1999–2004)

Head coaches

     * Lou Saban (1960–61)
     * Mike Holovak (1961–68)
     * Clive Rush (1969–70)
     * John Mazur (1970–72)
     * Phil Bengtson (interim) (1972)
     * Chuck Fairbanks (1973–78)
     * Ron Erhardt (1979–81)
     * Ron Meyer (1982–84)
     * Raymond Berry (1984–89)
     * Rod Rust (1990)
     * Dick MacPherson (1991–92)
     * Bill Parcells (1993–96)
     * Pete Carroll (1997–99)
     * Bill Belichick (2000–present)

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