8 Things You Didn’t Know About the New England Patriots

You may follow the New England Patriots games religiously, but do you think you know everything there is to know about Boston’s favorite football team? Here are 8 things that we are pretty sure you didn’t know about the Pats:

1. Their first name was the “Boston Patriots”

While everybody knows them as the New England Patriots for many years now, they actually did not start off with this name. Their very first name was the “Boston Patriots”, back in November 1959, when they were founded by the American Football League.

2. They almost became the Bay State Patriots

When they were set to leave for Foxborough, Massachusetts, back in 1971, they were supposed to be renamed “The Bay State Patriots”. The change would have gone through, but luckily, the people pointed out that the abbreviation to that would have been the “B.S. Patriots”. Nice save, Patriots! Nice save!

3. They were not Boston’s first professional football team

Boston may be associated with the New England Patriots now, but it isn’t the first pro football team to keep the people of Massachusetts on the edge of their seats. Back in 1929, the Boston Bulldogs were created, but they were also dismantled that same year. Then came the Boston Redskins in 1932, but after only five years, they were shipped to Washington D.C. It was a few years later, in 1959, that the New England Patriots come in to steal the show for good.

4. The New England Patriots did not always have the Flying Elvis logo

There was a time when the Patriots did not wear the famous star-spangled Flying Elvis logo on their helmets. Back in the ’60s, they rocked a much simpler look – their helmets had a tri-corner hat placed on top of each player’s number.

5. They won their very first pre-season game in the AFL

July 30th, 1960 was a day to remember for the New England Patriots. That was the day they won their very first pre-season game in the AFL. They beat the Buffalo Bills by 28-7.

6. They moved four times during the ’60s

The Patriots changed venues as many as four times during the ’60s. They first settled in Nickerson Field, then moved to Fenway Park, then to Harvard Stadium, and lastly at Boston College’s Alumni Stadium.

7. They almost moved to St. Louis

In 1992, James Orthwein bought the New England Patriots and his aim was to move them to St. Louis. Luckily, Robert Kraft owned Foxboro Stadium, which gave him the authority to reject the idea. Two years later, he bought Orthwein out.

8. They were almost shipped to Connecticut too

Then, another relocation scare came in 1998, when the Patriots were courted by businessmen in Hartford, Connecticut. They offered them a brand-new, publicly-financed stadium. They would have gone through with it as well, but luckily, Kraft saved the day again. He scored $72 million from the Bay State and used the money to build the team’s current home, Gillette Stadium.

As you can see, there is more than meets the eye when it comes to the New England Patriots. They’ve been rocking Boston for a few years now, and you can be sure that they will continue to do so! Go, Patriots!