New England Patriots History

The reigning Super Bowl Champions are prepared to once again reward New England Patriots ticket holders with a record fourth Lombardi Trophy in five years this season.  Another championship would cement head coach Bill Belichick, quarterback Tom Brady and place kicker Adam Vinatieri as the heads of a true football dynasty.  Patriots tickets to Gillette Stadium tickets have never been a hotter commodity in New England since the Pats won their first Super Bowl against the St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXV.

In 1959, the Patriots, then located in Boston, began their history in 1959, as the eighth and final team in the newly formed American Football League.  They have the distinction of scoring the first AFL touchdown when, in a preseason game against the Buffalo Bills, defensive end Bob Dee recovered a fumble and returned it for a score.  Since then it has not always been an easy road for Patriots ticket holders.   Before becoming the NFL powerhouse they are today, New England had only reached the Super Bowl twice.  Their first appearance came in 1985, where they lost to the dominant Chicago Bears.  In 1996, head coach Bill Parcells took the Patriots to the championship game again, only to go down in defeat once more, this time to Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers.

New England's hard luck began to change in 2000, and a new era was born with the arrival of the 14th Patriots head coach` Bill Belichick.  Led by quarterback Tom Brady, the Patriots defeated the Oakland Raiders in overtime at Foxboro Stadium to reach Super Bowl.  Patriots season ticket holders watched in amazement as kicker Adam Vinatieri kicked a 45-yard field goal in four inches of snow to tie the game, and then another 23-yarder to win the game in overtime, sending New England fans scurrying for Super Bowl tickets.  Foxboro Stadium is no more, but a bronze marker in the parking lot of Gillette Stadium reminds Patriots ticket holders of the exact spot of "The Kick" every Sunday.

Super Bowl XXXVI in 2002 against the heavily favored St. Louis Rams marks the beginning of the New England football dynasty.  With the game tied at 17 and 1:21 left on the clock, Brady marched the Pats down the field to set up Vinatieri for a 48-yard field goal with 10 seconds left.  The clutch kicker came through, made the field goal, and gave New England their first NFL Championship in their 42-year history.  They would go on to win two more championships in Super Bowl XXXVIII against the Carolina Panthers and Super Bowl XXXIX against the Philadelphia Eagles.  The victory over the Eagles made the Patriots the first team in six years to win back-to-back championships and the second team ever to win three championships in four years.

In 2005, New England tickets are hotter than ever, as the Patriots look to set an NFL record of three championships in a row.  Belichick, Brady, and Vinatieri are prepared to once more lead the team to an outstanding season. The Patriots are a team in the truest sense of the word, and their ability to overcome adversity and injuries is astounding.  Fans have little doubt that their Patriots tickets will be worth the price of admission and more this season.

New England Patriots Tickets | Football Tickets