SANTA CLARA — Stop me if you’ve heard this before: The Patriots are back in the Super Bowl.
Following a 4-13 finish to the 2024 season, New England decided to tear things down to the studs—firing coach Jerod Mayo after just 17 games at the helm. The Patriots would go on to hire franchise legend Mike Vrabel, a three-time Super Bowl champion as a player, and just one year later, are back on the NFL’s biggest stage for the first time in seven years.
The Patriots are no strangers to the big game, with Sunday’s appearance in Super Bowl LX marking their 12th, the most in NFL history. For context, the franchise has appeared in 18.6% of all Super Bowls played—a figure that will climb to a whopping 20% once the ball is kicked off on Sunday.
On the topic ... let’s rank them! Here’s a look at how all 12 of the Patriots’ Super Bowl appearances stack up, from worst to best.
12. Super Bowl XX
Date: January 26, 1986
Score: Bears 46, Patriots 10
Why it’s ranked No. 12: The Patriots’ first Super Bowl appearance was a milestone on its own. The game itself, however, was never particularly close with Mike Ditka’s famous ‘85 Bears trouncing New England behind a dominant defensive performance and a touchdown from William “The Refrigerator” Perry.
11. Super Bowl XLII
Date: February 3, 2008
Score: Giants 17, Patriots 14
Why it’s ranked No. 11: After starting the 2007 season an unblemished 18-0, the Patriots blew a chance at perfection in the Super Bowl with a 17–14 loss to the Giants. David Tyree will never buy a beer in New York again.
10. Super Bowl XLVI
Date: February 5, 2012
Score: Giants 21, Patriots 17
Why it’s ranked No. 10: History repeated itself in 2012, with a stout Giants defense giving Tom Brady fits, Eli Manning playing out of his mind, and a Giants wide receiver—this time, Mario Manningham—sticking the dagger in New England's Super Bowl dreams with an improbable catch that helped new York seal the deal. Despite being a one-score contest, this one never felt terribly close.
9. Super Bowl XXXI
Date: January 26, 1997
Score: Packers 35, Patriots 21
Why it’s ranked No. 9: The Patriots gave fans back home a sliver of hope in this one by taking a first-quarter lead with a Drew Bledsoe–to–Ben Coates touchdown. Things quickly spiraled, however, with Green Bay scoring 17 straight points heading into halftime.
All things considered, the Patriots showed they were here to stay, making things a one-score game in the second half, before Desmond Howard’s 99-yard kick return touchdown sealed the deal on Brett Favre's lone Super Bowl title.
8. Super Bowl LII
Date: February 4, 2018
Score: Eagles 41, Patriots 33
Why it’s ranked No. 8: Despite Tom Brady setting a Super Bowl record with 505 passing yards, New England's high-powered offense still wasn't enough to outscore Nick Foles and the Eagles, who would go on to win 41–33 in one of the highest-scoring Super Bowls in NFL history.
RELATED: Full Patriots Super Bowl History: A Look Back at New England’s NFL Record Appearances
The mysterious benching of cornerback Malcolm Butler—who we'll get to shortly—looms large over this one, but this was undoubtedly the Patriots' best Super Bowl loss.
7. Super Bowl LX
Date: February 8, 2026
Score: TBD
Why it’s ranked No. 7: The Patriots and Seahawks will kick off Sunday at 6:30 p.m. ET from Santa Clara’s Levi’s Stadium and while there are plenty of storylines to write home about, this one sits right in the middle of our rankings until we get a result.
6. Super Bowl LIII
Date: February 3, 2019
Score: Patriots 13, Rams 3
Why it’s ranked No. 6: A defensive battle from start to finish, Super Bowl LII is—without question—the most boring Super Bowl the Patriots have played in to a layman. Josh McDaniels’ fourth-quarter master class that gave New England a lead it would never relinquish, however, is the stuff of legends to die-hards and ball-knowers alike.
5. Super Bowl XXXVIII
Date: February 1, 2004
Score: Patriots 32, Panthers 29
Why it’s ranked No. 5: After a slog of a first three quarters, the Patriots and Panthers combined for 37 fourth quarter points to give us one of the better Super Bowl finishes we’ve seen.
When it was all said and done, Adam Vinatieri secured a New England victory with a clutch field goal as time expired. An evergreen sentence.
4. Super Bowl XXXIX
Date: February 6, 2005
Score: Patriots 24, Eagles 21
Why it’s ranked No. 4: While not as entertaining as Super Bowl XXXVIII, XXXIX put one of the Patriots’ most complete rosters on full display.
Behind two Rodney Harrison interceptions, a Mike Vrabel receiving touchdown, and an 11-catch, 133-yard performance from Deion Branch, New England cemented itself as a dynasty with its third championship in four seasons, beating the Eagles 24–21.
3. Super Bowl XXXVI
Date: February 3, 2002
Score: Patriots 20, Rams 17
Why it’s ranked No. 3: The GOAT’s first time hoisting a Lombardi came after leading a nine-play, 53-yard drive that ended in a legendary 48-yard field goal from kicker Adam Vinatieri. The rest, as they say, is history.
2. Super Bowl LI
Date: February 5, 2017
Score: Patriots 34, Falcons 28
Why it’s ranked No. 2: 28–3. That’s it, that’s the explanation.
1. Super Bowl XLIX
Date: February 1, 2015
Score: Patriots 28, Seahawks 24
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Every Patriots Super Bowl Appearance, Ranked.
