How many Super Bowls have the Patriots won? History of New England's big game appearances

The New England Patriots were a dominant NFL dynasty for almost 20 years. Their terror reached fanbases across multiple generations, creating the sense that their dominance might never truly fade.

In 2020, Tom Brady departed for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Bill Belichick left the organization in early 2024. The Patriots' fans experienced four losing seasons from 2020 to 2024. They then hired former Patriots player Mike Vrabel as head coach, chose Drake Maye from North Carolina, and are now back in the AFC Championship.

Although it must have been hard to shift from winning Super Bowls every other year to experiencing two consecutive seasons with only four wins, Patriots fans wouldn't trade a thing for the success their beloved team has had since 2001.

The Sporting News provides an in-depth look at the New England Patriots' longstanding championship history.

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How many Super Bowls have the Patriots won?

The Patriots have won six Super Bowls in their organization's history.

Obviously, winning six Super Bowls in the history of your organization is impressive in and of itself. However, the Patriots won six in 17 seasons in the NFL, which is utterly ridiculous. From 2001 to 2017, New England won a Super Bowl 35% of the time. 

To put it in perspective, NBA legend LeBron James' career 3-point percentage is 34.9%. The Patriots were more likely to win the Super Bowl during that stretch than James is to hit one three-pointer.

Super Bowl XXXVI (2001): Patriots 20, Rams 17

New England established a 17-3 lead, with Ty Law's interception return for a touchdown effectively silencing the formidable Rams offense.

The Patriots could only keep this explosive offense contained for a short while. Kurt Warner brought the Rams back, tying the game 17-17 with a touchdown pass to Ricky Proehl with only 1:30 remaining in the fourth quarter.

With no timeouts remaining and the game hanging in the balance, Brady orchestrated a crucial 4-minute drive, connecting on important passes to J.R. Redmond and Troy Brown to advance into field goal range.

Adam Vinatieri, famous for his clutch kicks, successfully made the 48-yard field goal as time ran out, winning the game 20-17 for the Patriots. 

Super Bowl XXXVIII (2003): Patriots 32, Panthers 29

After a scoreless first 26 minutes, the game exploded, with the Patriots leading 14-10 at halftime.

The teams exchanged blows, with the score tied at 29 in the final minute. After Ricky Proehl of the Panthers caught a touchdown to tie the game, Tom Brady then led the Patriots on a crucial drive.

Once again, the Patriots' Super Bowl dreams depended on Adam Vinatieri's leg, as he kicked a 41-yard field goal with only 4 seconds left to secure the win. 

Super Bowl XXXIX (2004): Patriots 24, Eagles 21

Before this game, a major story was Terrell Owens's ankle injury. Despite the injury, T.O. made 9 catches for 122 yards for the Eagles. 

The Patriots' defense dominated, forcing four turnovers (three Donovan McNabb interceptions) and 4 sacks.

However, the Eagles had a chance after McNabb threw a 30-yard TD to Greg Lewis with under two minutes left, which made it 24-21, and then got the ball back for a chance to tie or win. 

After a great punt, the Eagles began their drive inside the 5-yard line. As the clock ran down, McNabb threw up a desperate pass that was intercepted by Rodney Harrison.

Super Bowl XLIX (2014): Patriots, 28. Seahawks 24

Super Bowl XLIX was a closely fought game between the top teams from each conference.

After a 14-14 tie at halftime, the Seahawks led 24-14 as the game entered the fourth quarter. The Patriots then mounted a comeback, with Tom Brady throwing two fourth-quarter touchdowns to Danny Amendola and Julian Edelman, ultimately taking a 28-24 lead with just over two minutes left.

Then, the most infamous play call in sports history might be Pete Carroll's decision not to give Marshawn Lynch the ball at the 1-yard line during Super Bowl XLIX. That decision led to Malcom Butler's interception of Russell Wilson's pass at the goal line, securing their first title in ten years.

Super Bowl LI (2016): Patriots 34. Falcons 28

The Falcons led strongly in the first half, entering halftime with a 21-3 advantage and extending it to 28-3 midway through the third quarter.

However, the Patriots launched a remarkable comeback, scoring 25 unanswered points to tie it at 28-28 with less than a minute left in regulation, setting up the first overtime in Super Bowl history.

After winning the overtime coin toss, the Patriots gained possession and advanced 75 yards in eight plays. Running back James White capped the drive with a 2-yard touchdown run, securing the victory.

Super Bowl LIII (2018): Patriots 13, Rams 3

In the end, it seemed fitting that the dynasty ended with the Patriots shutting down the league's top offense, the Rams, as Brady, Rob Gronkowski, and Julian Edelman performed their final outstanding games in a Patriots uniform.

Super Bowl LIII held the record for the lowest score in NFL history. It was a defensive contest that ended the third quarter in a 3-3 tie, before the Patriots scored 10 straight points in the fourth quarter to secure their sixth Super Bowl victory.

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Patriots Super Bowl appearances

Apart from their wins, the Patriots also appeared in many other Super Bowls. However, these did not go in their favor.

There's no greater pain than seeing your team reach the championship and then lose. Fans of New England have experienced this five times, more than any other NFL organization.

It seems like more than a fair price to pay, but that is the only downside to their success; there were plenty of painful losses in big moments. None more than the two losses to Eli Manning and the New York Giants in not one, but two Super Bowls.

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When was the last time the Patriots played in the Super Bowl?

The last time the Patriots played in the Super Bowl was the last time they hoisted a Lombardi Trophy. In 2019, after beating the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium in an all-time classic, the Patriots went on to defeat the Rams in Super Bowl LIII.

Not only was this the final one in that dynasty, but it was also the lowest-scoring Super Bowl of all time, ending 13-3.

Which team has won the most Super Bowls?

With the Philadelphia Eagles winning Super Bowl LIX last season, they made their way on the list.

Currently, the Patriots and Steelers are tied for the most Super Bowl wins with six, while the 49ers and Cowboys trail closely behind with five.

Below are all the NFL teams that have won two or more Super Bowls.