Boston Football

Football has historic roots in Boston and is taken very seriously. The New England Patriots once played in the city, and its citizens are still loyal fans today. They drive more than 20 miles to see their "home team" play at Gillette Stadium in the suburbs.

Football

Football culture is strong in Boston and the city has some of the most fanatical pigskin fans you'll find anywhere in the country. The game of football itself has deep roots in Boston, since the modern version of the American game grew out of a game between Boston's Harvard University and a Canadian school called McGill University in 1874. Boston didn't get its own professional football team until over 80 years later, when the NFL team the New England Patriots moved to the Boston area.

The New England Patriots

The New England Patriots are Boston's professional football team, affectionately known as the "Pats" to their loyal fans. Even though they are beloved by Bostonians, they actually play at Gillette Stadium in the suburb of Foxborough, Massachusetts, about 22 miles from their original home city. Their name changed from the Boston Patriots to the New England Patriots when they moved in 1971.

The team is in the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League. It started out as a member of the American Football League in 1959 and became part of the NFL when the two leages combined into one in 1970.

The Pats made it to the Super Bowl for the first time in 1986 after making the playoffs several times and getting beaten before they could earn a spot in the finals. They lost to the Chicago Bears in a lopsided 46 to 10 game. Upon their return to the Super Bowl in 1997 they were beaten by the Green Bay Packers by a more even 35 to 21 score. They scored their first Super Bowl win in 2002, defeating the St. Louis Rams by a narrow 20 to 17. They were victorious again in 2004 and 2005, beating the Carolina Panthers and the Philadelphia Eagles. In 2008 they lost to the New York Giants.

The Pats have a longstanding rivalry with the New York Jets. The rivalry got a boost when the team lost its head coach, Bill Parcells, to the Jets in 1996. This move fanned the rivalry flames among Boston fans. Things come to a head when the teams play their two scheduled games against each other every season, with the winning team's fans making the most of their bragging rights.

The team mascot is Pat Patriot, a red, white, and blue revolutionary minute man. His image served as the team logo until 1993, when it became a more stylized version of a man's head.

Gillette Stadium

Gillette Stadium in Foxborough has housed the New England Patriots since 2002. The first game played was against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Pats were triumphant. The stadium is located is nearly an equal distance between Boston, Massachusetts, and Providence, Rhode Island. The New England Revolution professional soccer team shares the stadium with the Pats.

Gillette Stadium has some unique features that blend into New England heritage, including a 12-story lighthouse and bridge. Its seating capacity is nearly 69,000, with 6,600 seats for Putnam Club members and a capacity of over 2,700 in its suites. Fans who drive to the games from Boston can vie for one of the 16,500 parking spaces.

Patriot Hall of Famers

There are several Patriot Hall of Famers, including the famous John Hannah, who earned the honor in 1991.

The Patriots also have their own team hall of fame, with greats such as Hannah, who was part of the 1985 Super Bowl season. Other players include linebacker Nick Buoniconti, iconic player Gino Cappelletti, Bob Dee, the Iron Man who never missed a game, Jim Lee Hunt, also known as Earthquake, defense master Steve Nelson, quarterback Vito "Babe" Parill,” Bruce Armstrong, who played 212 games, wide receiver Stanley Morgan, historic player Jim Nance, and iconic player Drew Bledsoe. Haynes, Buoniconti, and Tippett are also in the NFL Hall of Fame along with Hannah.

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