When Did the Patriots Join the NFL?

The New England Patriots joined the National Football League (NFL) in 1970 as part of the AFL-NFL merger.

The Early Years

The Patriots began play in the American Football League (AFL) in 1960 as the eighth and final team of the league. The NFL and AFL merged in 1970, and the Patriots became part of the NFL. The team has won six Super Bowls, the most of any team in the NFL.

The Boston Patriots are founded

The Boston Patriots are founded on November 16, 1959, by Billy Sullivan. The Patriots began play in the 1960 season as members of the American Football League (AFL). The team’s first home games were played at Nickerson Field.

The Patriots join the AFL

The Patriots began play in the American Football League (AFL) in 1960 as the eighth and final franchise of the league. The team was founded by Billy Sullivan Jr., son of the original owner of the team, Billy Sullivan. The team’s first home games were played at Nickerson Field in Boston.

In 1964, the Patriots announced their move to Fenway Park, sharing the stadium with Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox. The following year, the team changed its name to the “Bay State Patriots,” and then to the “Boston Patriots” in 1970.

The Patriots struggled in their early years, posting a record of just 7-21 over their first two seasons. In 1962, they acquired quarterback Babe Parilli from the Green Bay Packers, and he would go on to lead the team to its first winning season in 1963. Parilli would be named AFL Rookie of the Year that season, and he would lead the team to another winning season in 1964.

The AFL-NFL Merger

On August 8, 1966, representatives from the National Football League (NFL) and the American Football League (AFL) met in Chicago to finalize a merger between the two leagues. The NFL had been the dominant professional football league since 1920, but the popularity of the AFL had been on the rise in recent years.

The AFL and NFL merge

In the 1960s, the National Football League (NFL) was the most popular sports league in the United States, but it faced a serious challenge from the American Football League (AFL). The two leagues had been rivals since the AFL was founded in 1960, but they began to seriously consider merging in 1966. After several years of negotiation, they finally reached an agreement in June 1967.

The NFL and AFL completed their merger in 1970, and as part of the deal, the NFL agreed to absorb all ten of the AFL teams. This meant that for the first time, there would be a genuine national football league with teams from coast to coast. Among the teams that joined the NFL as part of the merger were the New England Patriots, who had been founded as an AFL team in 1959.

The merge between the NFL and AFL changed professional football in America forever, and it led to a period of unprecedented growth for the sport. In just a few years, football went from being a niche sport to being one of America’s biggest spectator sports.

The Patriots join the NFL

On November 21, 1959, Boston Patriots owner Billy Sullivan and New York Giants owner Wellington Mara jointly announced that their two teams would merge for the 1960 season. The two struggling teams were not the only ones interested in joining forces; the Cleveland Browns and Philadelphia Eagles were also in talks to merge. However, the Browns-Eagles merger fell through and the Patriots-Giants merger became official.

The NFL was initially against the idea of a team from New England joining the league; they believed that football was not popular enough in that region. However, after some negotiation, they relented and allowed the Patriots to join as part of an expansion that also included the Dallas Cowboys. The Patriots played their first game as an NFL team on September 25, 1960, against the Buffalo Bills.

The Modern Era

The New England Patriots joined the National Football League (NFL) in 1970 as part of the AFL-NFL merger. Prior to that, the Patriots were members of the American Football League (AFL). The Patriots have been one of the most successful teams in the NFL since joining the league.

The Patriots win their first Super Bowl

In 2002, the Patriots won their first Super Bowl, defeating the heavily favored St. Louis Rams. The game was decided by a last-second field goal, and the Patriots were hailed as underdogs who had triumphed against all odds. This victory ushered in a new era for the team, and they would go on to win two more Super Bowls in the next three years.

The Patriots win their second Super Bowl

In February 2002, the Patriots won their second Super Bowl in three years, defeating the heavily favored St. Louis Rams 20–17 on a last-second field goal by Adam Vinatieri. Brady was named Super Bowl MVP for the second time in his career (XXXVI). The victory completed an improbable run for the Patriots, who lacked a winning record in either of their first two seasons under Belichick (5–11 in 2000 and 9–7 in 2001).