The New England Patriots are back in the , and it feels like they are returning to familiar territory, for they are one of the most decorated franchises of NFL. Under new head coach Mike Vrabel, the Patriots turned around a rough 4-13 season in 2024 and finished this year at 16-3, earning their spot in Super Bowl LX. It’s a remarkable rebound for a team that dominated the league for nearly two decades with Tom Brady at quarterback and Bill Belichick calling the shots.
So just how many times have the Patriots lifted the Lombardi Trophy? Here’s the clear answer and a quick look back at their championship run.
Six Super Bowl Titles, All Since 2001
The Patriots have won six Super Bowls in their history. Every single one came after the turn of the century, during a stretch that turned the franchise into the NFL’s gold standard for sustained success. The first title arrived in the most unlikely way. In 2001, New England started the season with Drew Bledsoe under center. After he got hurt in Week 2 against the Jets, a sixth-round rookie named Tom Brady stepped in. What followed was a storybook season that ended with a 20-17 upset over the heavily favored St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI.
From there, the wins kept coming. The Patriots claimed two more championships in the next three seasons, then added three more after a nine-year gap, cementing their place among the all-time greats.
A Look at Every Patriots Super Bowl Win
Here’s the full list of their six victories:
- Super Bowl XXXVI (2001 season): Patriots 20, Rams 17
- Super Bowl XXXVIII (2003 season): Patriots 32, Rams 29
- Super Bowl XXXIX (2004 season): Patriots 24, Eagles 21
- Super Bowl XLIX (2014 season): Patriots 28, Seahawks 24
- Super Bowl LI (2016 season): Patriots 34, Falcons 28 (OT)
- Super Bowl LIII (2018 season): Patriots 13, Rams 3
Five of those six games were decided by a single score, showing how close the Patriots were in the biggest moments.
The Losses That Still Sting
New England hasn’t won every time they reached the Super Bowl. They’ve also suffered three defeats since 2001:
- Super Bowl XLII: Lost to the New York Giants
- Super Bowl XLVI: Lost to the New York Giants again
- Super Bowl LII: Lost to the Philadelphia Eagles
Those three setbacks came by a total of just 15 points combined.
Where They Rank All-Time
With six Super Bowl wins, the Patriots are tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the most titles in the Super Bowl era (starting in 1966). No other team has matched that number.
Here’s how the top franchises stack up:
- New England Patriots: 6
- Pittsburgh Steelers: 6
- Dallas Cowboys: 5
- San Francisco 49ers: 5
- Green Bay Packers: 4
- Kansas City Chiefs: 4
- New York Giants: 4
- Denver Broncos: 3
- Las Vegas Raiders: 3
- Washington Commanders: 3
Now, they’re hoping to write another chapter in what’s already one of the greatest stories in NFL history. Sunday’s game will decide whether that trophy case gets a little more crowded.