gold star for USAHOF

Top 50 New England Patriots

An inaugural franchise of the American Football League, the New England Patriots debuted as the Boston Patriots, but they were unable to win the AFL Title. They did appear in the 1963 AFL Championship Game, but that was their only playoff appearance of the 1960s.

The Patriots took on New England as their designation when they moved to Foxborough in 1971, shortly after the NFL-AFL merger.  The Patriots only made it to the playoff twice in the 70s, but in the 80s, they went to their first Super Bowl but were thumped by the Chicago Bears in 1986. A decade later, they were back again but lost to the Green Bay Packers.

The 2000s were completely different, and with Quarterback om Brady and Head Coach, Bill Belichick, the Pats won six Super Bowls, which is tied for the most with the Pittsburgh Steelers.


This list is up to the end of the 2022 season.

Note: Football lists are based on an amalgamation of tenure, traditional statistics, advanced statistics, playoff statistics, and post-season accolades.

20. Bob Dee

20. Bob Dee
Top 50 New England Patriots
(0 Comments)
After two seasons with the Washington Redskins, Bob Dee left the NFL to join the Boston Patriots for the inaugural season of the American Football League.
Read more

21. Drew Bledsoe

21. Drew Bledsoe
Top 50 New England Patriots
(0 Comments)
Before the Patriots had Tom Brady, there was Drew Bledsoe, who New England took with the First Overall Pick in 1993.
Read more

22. Willie McGinest

22. Willie McGinest
Top 50 New England Patriots
(0 Comments)
Willie McGinest was the Fourth Overall Pick in 1994, and when you are drafted that high, the pro club certainly hopes that you will have a long and fruitful career.  It is safe to say that the New England Patriots got that in McGinest.
Read more

23. Matthew Slater

23. Matthew Slater
Top 50 New England Patriots
(0 Comments)
Special Teams never gets the respect it deserves.  For that matter, it never will!
Read more

24. Julian Edelman

24. Julian Edelman
Top 50 New England Patriots
(0 Comments)
One of the most debated careers in recent memory is Julian Edelman.  Edelman was never been a Pro Bowl Selection but has had multiple articles praising him as a potential Hall of Famer.
Read more

25. Tedy Bruschi

25. Tedy Bruschi
Top 50 New England Patriots
(0 Comments)
One of the most popular players in the history of the New England Patriots is Tedy Bruschi, and when you look at his career, how could he not be?
Read more

THE RINGER NFL DRAFT SHOW LIVE!

Apr 24, 2024

Buy your Tickets to see The Ringer NFL Draft Show LIVE! HERE!

NFL DRAFT TEST

Apr 25, 2024

Buy your Tickets to see NFL DRAFT TEST HERE!

2024 GIANTS DRAFT PARTY PRESENTED BY MOODY'S

Apr 25, 2024

Buy your Tickets to see 2024 Giants Draft Party Presented By Moody's HERE!

2024 NFL DRAFT PARTY - FORD FIELD

Apr 25, 2024

Buy your Tickets to see 2024 NFL Draft Party - Ford Field HERE!

 

26. Stephen Gostkowski

26. Stephen Gostkowski
Top 50 New England Patriots
(0 Comments)
How do you replace a legend like Adam Vinatieri?
Read more

27. Raymond Clayborn

27. Raymond Clayborn
Top 50 New England Patriots
(0 Comments)
Raymond Clayborn was drafted to be a star Cornerback, which he became, but not before he had a stellar rookie season as a Kick Returner, where he had three Return Touchdowns.
Read more

28. Steve Nelson

28. Steve Nelson
Top 50 New England Patriots
(0 Comments)
Steve Nelson was one of the players that came from North Dakota State, where the Linebacker played his entire pro career with the Patriots (1974-87).
Read more

29. Steve Grogan

29. Steve Grogan
Top 50 New England Patriots
(0 Comments)
There are many who only think of Tom Brady when they think about New England Quarterbacks, but for fans of the team in the 70s and 80s, Steve Grogan is one of the names that come up.
Read more

30. Devin McCourty

30. Devin McCourty
Top 50 New England Patriots
(0 Comments)
As of this writing, Devin McCourty has played twelve seasons in the NFL, all of which in a Patriots uniform.
Read more

31. Dont'a Hightower

31. Dont'a Hightower
Top 50 New England Patriots
(0 Comments)
When you play for a two-time National Champion in college like Don’t’a Hightower did at Alabama, how sweet is it to get drafted to another power like the New England Patriots?
Read more

32. Dan Koppen

32. Dan Koppen
Top 50 New England Patriots
(0 Comments)
Dan Koppen didn't have to move too far when he was drafted from Boston College in 2003 to the New England Patriots, and it didn't take him long to be a fixture in the Pats lineup.
Read more

33. Jim Nance

33. Jim Nance
Top 50 New England Patriots
(0 Comments)
It took until the 19thRound in 1965 before the Boston Patriots before Jim Nance was drafted, and the former two-sport star at Syracuse had to have a chip on his shoulder considering his collegiate accomplishments.
Read more

34. Leon Gray

34. Leon Gray
Top 50 New England Patriots
(0 Comments)
Leon Gray was a Third Round Pick by the Miami Dolphins in 1973, but Gray did not make the team, and he was waived.  Miami might have been loaded at the Offensive Line, but the New England Patriots were not, and they claimed the former Jackson State star.   It was a win-win for both parties.
Read more

35. Lawyer Milloy

35. Lawyer Milloy
Top 50 New England Patriots
(0 Comments)
Lawyer Milloy became a starter during his rookie season, recording two Interceptions and was named an All-Rookie.  The Patriots went to the Super Bowl that year with Milloy recording eight Tackles.
Read more

36. Jim Lee Hunt

36. Jim Lee Hunt
Top 50 New England Patriots
(0 Comments)
After the Chicago Bears drafted Jim Lee Hunt in the 16thRound, he elected to sign instead with the Boston Patriots for the inaugural season of the American Football League.  As it would turn out, Hunt would become one of a handful of players to play in all ten years of the league’s existence, all of which were with the Patriots.
Read more

37. Randy Moss

37. Randy Moss
Top 50 New England Patriots
(0 Comments)
When you think of Randy Moss, the Minnesota Vikings are automatically (and should always be) the team you think of.  He did have a spectacular season wearing the uniform of the New England Patriots, which lands him on this list.
Read more

38. Ben Coates

38. Ben Coates
Top 50 New England Patriots
(0 Comments)
Livingstone College doesn't produce a lot of top-flight athletes, but when one dominates as Ben Coates did, regardless of the competition, NFL teams are going to notice.
Read more
Subscribe to this RSS feed