Every Patriots Super Bowl Appearance, Ranked

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

Steve Grogan — The Patriots were stifled by the '85 Bears in Super Bowl XX. | RVR Photos-Imagn Images

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

Mike Vrabel and the Patriots came one game shy of an undefeated season in 2007. | Bob Breidenbach / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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

Patriots vs. Giants. — The Patriots lost to the Giants in the Super Bowl for the second time in four years. | Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images

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

Desmond Howard returned a kick for a score to help the Packers bear the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXI. | Milwaukee Journal Sentinel-USA TODAY NETWORK

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

Drake Maye. — Drake Maye has the Patriots back in the Super Bowl. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

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

Julian Edelman was named MVP of Super Bowl LIII. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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

Tom Brady. — Tom Brady won his second Super Bowl in three seasons over the Panthers. | MPS-Imagn Images

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

Malcolm Butler. — Malcolm Butler's goal line interception of Russell Wilson clinched a Super Bowl XLIX win for the Patriots. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Date: February 1, 2015

Score: Patriots 28, Seahawks 24

Why it’s ranked No. 1: On their way to winning their first Super Bowl title in 10 years, the Patriots mounted a 10-point fourth quarter comeback over the Seahawks in what some consider to be one of the best games played in NFL history. The highlight of course was Malcolm Butler’s interception off Russell Wilson at the goal line to clinch a 28–24 New England victory.