This is a list of every starting quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL).
History
editThere have been thirty starting quarterbacks for the Patriots since their founding in 1960. Babe Parilli was the franchise's first longtime starter, leading the Patriots to their only playoff berth and championship game appearance while a member of the American Football League (AFL). Following the AFL–NFL merger in 1970, Jim Plunkett was drafted by the Patriots first overall to become the starting quarterback, but an unsuccessful tenure resulted in him being traded after five seasons. Plunkett was succeeded by Steve Grogan, who served as the team's primary starter during the late 1970s and helped lead them to their first NFL playoff appearances. A series of injuries caused Grogan to lose his starting job by the 1980s, although he remained on the team until 1990. The Patriots lacked a steady quarterback for most of the 1980s, with five (including Grogan) starting in the 1987 season. First-round selection Tony Eason, the longest-tenured of the decade, contributed to the Patriots making their Super Bowl debut, but lasted only three seasons as the primary starter.
In the 1990s, first overall pick Drew Bledsoe ended the Patriots' search for a quarterback by bringing the team to consistent playoff contention after five losing seasons. Bledsoe's success would be eclipsed the next decade when an injury caused him to be relieved by backup Tom Brady. As the franchise's longest-tenured quarterback from 2001 to 2019, Brady is credited with the Patriots dynasty that saw them set the records for Super Bowl appearances and wins. Following a one-off season in 2020 with free agent signing Cam Newton as the starter, the Patriots' starting quarterback from 2021–2023 was first round pick Mac Jones, who was named the starter at the beginning of his rookie season in 2021. After a successful rookie campaign, Jones' play continuously declined through his next two years, leading to his departure after the 2023 season.
Regular season
editThe number of games they started during the season is listed to the right in descending order:
Postseason
editSeason(s) | Quarterback(s) |
---|---|
1963 (AFL) | Babe Parilli (1–1) |
1976 | Steve Grogan (0–1) |
1978 | |
1982 | |
1985 | Tony Eason (3–1) |
1986 | Tony Eason (0–1) |
1994 | Drew Bledsoe (0–1) |
1996 | Drew Bledsoe (2–1) |
1997 | Drew Bledsoe (1–1) |
1998 | Scott Zolak (0–1) |
2001 | Tom Brady (3–0) |
2003 | |
2004 | |
2005 | Tom Brady (1–1) |
2006 | Tom Brady (2–1) |
2007 | |
2009 | Tom Brady (0–1) |
2010 | |
2011 | Tom Brady (2–1) |
2012 | Tom Brady (1–1) |
2013 | |
2014 | Tom Brady (3–0) |
2015 | Tom Brady (1–1) |
2016 | Tom Brady (3–0) |
2017 | Tom Brady (2–1) |
2018 | Tom Brady (3–0) |
2019 | Tom Brady (0–1) |
2021 | Mac Jones (0–1) |
Most games as starting quarterback
editThese quarterbacks have at least 40 starts for the Patriots in regular season games.
GP | Games played |
---|---|
GS | Games started |
W | Number of wins as starting quarterback |
L | Number of losses as starting quarterback |
T | Number of ties as starting quarterback |
Pct | Winning percentage as starting quarterback |
Name | Years | GP | GS | W | L | T | % |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tom Brady | 2000–2019 | 285 | 283 | 219 | 64 | — | .768 |
Steve Grogan | 1975–1990 | 149 | 135 | 75 | 60 | — | .556 |
Drew Bledsoe | 1993–2001 | 124 | 123 | 63 | 60 | — | .512 |
Babe Parilli | 1961–1967 | 94 | 83 | 44 | 32 | 7 | .572 |
Jim Plunkett | 1971–1975 | 61 | 61 | 23 | 38 | — | .377 |
Tony Eason | 1983–1989 | 72 | 49 | 28 | 21 | — | .571 |
Mac Jones | 2021–2023 | 42 | 42 | 18 | 24 | — | .429 |
Team career passing records
editThese quarterbacks have over 10,000 career passing yards with the Patriots in regular season games.
Name | Comp | Att | % | Yds | TD | Int |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tom Brady | 6,377 | 9,988 | 63.8 | 74,571 | 541 | 179 |
Drew Bledsoe | 2,544 | 4,518 | 56.3 | 29,657 | 166 | 138 |
Steve Grogan | 1,879 | 3,593 | 52.3 | 26,886 | 182 | 208 |
Babe Parilli | 1,140 | 2,413 | 47.2 | 16,747 | 132 | 138 |
Jim Plunkett | 729 | 1,503 | 48.5 | 12,665 | 62 | 87 |
Tony Eason | 876 | 1,500 | 52.3 | 10,732 | 60 | 48 |
See also
editNotes
edit- a In each game, a team picks one player to start in the quarterback position. Players may be substituted during the game, but the term "starting quarterback" refers to the player who started the game in that position.
- b Since the 1978 NFL season, all teams have played 16-game schedules.[65]
- c Strikes by the National Football League Players Association in the 1982 and 1987 seasons resulted in shortened seasons (9- and 15-game schedules, respectively).[66]
References
edit- General
- "New England Patriots Team Encyclopedia". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved July 30, 2017.
- Specific
- ^ "1960 Boston Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ "1961 Boston Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ "1962 Boston Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ "1963 Boston Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ "1964 Boston Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ "1965 Boston Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ "1966 Boston Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ "1967 Boston Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ "1968 Boston Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ "1969 Boston Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ "1970 Boston Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ "1971 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ "1972 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ "1973 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ "1974 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ "1975 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ "1976 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ "1977 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ "1978 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ "1979 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ "1980 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ "1981 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ "1982 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ "1983 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ "1984 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ "1985 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on December 24, 2008. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ "1986 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ "1987 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ "1988 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ "1989 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ "1990 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ "1991 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ "1992 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ "1993 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ "1994 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ "1995 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ "1996 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ "1997 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ "1998 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ "1999 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ "2000 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ "2001 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ "2002 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ "2003 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ "2004 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ "2005 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ "2006 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ "2007 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ "2008 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ "2009 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ "2010 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved September 12, 2010.
- ^ "2011 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on January 27, 2012. Retrieved September 13, 2011.
- ^ "2012 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved September 13, 2012.
- ^ "2013 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
- ^ "2014 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved October 25, 2014.
- ^ "2015 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved October 5, 2015.
- ^ "2016 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved September 11, 2016.
- ^ "2017 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved September 10, 2017.
- ^ "2018 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved September 9, 2018.
- ^ "2019 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2020.
- ^ "2020 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2020.
- ^ "2021 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
- ^ "2022 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
- ^ "2023 New England Patriots Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
- ^ "NFL History by Decade, 1971–1980". NFL.com. National Football League. Archived from the original on April 2, 2007. Retrieved November 4, 2009.
- ^ "NFL History by Decade, 1981–1990". NFL.com. National Football League. Retrieved November 4, 2009.