Team Spotlight: New England Patriots

Love them or hate them, the AFC division New England Patriots have made their mark in the NFL – there can be no doubt.

A Little History

The New England patriots joined the NFL back in 1970 but have been a member of the Eastern division of the American football league since 1960. Specifically, they are a member of the AFC East division.

Originally, the name of the team was simply the Boston Patriots.

One of their most bitter rivalries is considered to be the New York Jets.

Their home stadium and headquarters are currently located in Foxboro, Massachusetts – Gillette Stadium.

The New England Patriots Are Breaking Records

In all of NFL history, the New England Patriots are considered the most successful team. In just a 10 year period, some of the most notable records have been set and broken. Here are some of their accomplishments:

• Most Super Bowl losses, tied with the Denver Broncos, at five.
• Most Super Bowl wins, tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers, at six.
• At 11, most Super Bowl appearances total.
• For a head coach/quarterback tandem, most super Bowls reached and won.
• In the history of the NFL, most consecutive division titles claimed by one team.
• Established from October 2003 to October 2004, the Patriots own the record for the longest regular-season and playoff game winning streak.

A Chink in the Armor

Even the most winning teams can experience a hitch or two along the way. The New England Patriots have not escaped criticism or scandal. The two controversies associated with the Patriots are known as "Deflategate" – 2015 and "Spygate” – 2007. In one or both cases, suspensions, fines, first round selection loss, and a general shame-on-you attitude were the punishments levied on the team, the coach, players, etc.

A Look at Tom Brady

Here are some statistics about one of the most winning quarterbacks in football history – Tom Brady:

• Joined the Patriots in the year 2000 (playing under coach Bill Belichick)
• Four Super Bowl MVP awards
• Six total Super Bowls won
• Three league MVP awards
• When it comes to Super Bowls, he is the first player ever to have been victorious in six.
• The sixth Super Bowl title for Tom Brady was earned at Super Bowl LIII in 2019.

Big Dates for the Patriots This Year

If you're a Patriots fan, you may want to mark these days on your calendar for 2019:

• Patriots training camp opens at the end of July.
• At 7:30 PM Eastern Standard Time, on August 8, the first preseason game against the Lions will be played.
• Week one of the NFL regular season begins September 5 to the 8^th.
• At 8:20 PM Eastern Standard Time, playing against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Patriots will open their regular-season on Sept. 8th.

Hat Haven Has New England Patriots Caps

At Hat Heaven, we offer an impressive selection of New England Patriots caps. Let's run through the choices:

• Navy Oceanside blue scarlet cap with red, white, and blue logo on a 9FIFTY in snapback style (New Era)
• Black 59FIFTY fitted style cap (New Era) with black/metallic gold patriot logo
• Scarlet Super Bowl XLIX snapback cap (New Era) with red, white, and blue logo
• Oceanside blue fitted 59FIFTY (New Era) cap with red, white, and blue metal and thread logo
• Cleanup cap - Black 47 Brand dad hat with red, white, and blue legacy logo
• Cleanup cap – Navy 47 Brand dad had with red, white, and blue legacy logo