When was the last time the Patriots were in the Super Bowl?

The New England Patriots are headed back to the Super Bowl with a chance to set an NFL record for Super Bowl victories. The Patriots beat the Denver Broncos 10-7 in a snowy AFC Championship to secure the AFC’s spot in two weeks at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

It wasn’t pretty, but the Patriots defense did just enough to secure the win. Broncos backup QB Jarrett Stidham looked impressive in the first quarter, but as the weather got worse, the Broncos offense got worse. They had an opportunity to tie the game in the fourth quarter, but Leonard Taylor got a hand on Wil Lutz’s 45-yard field goal attempt. The Broncos defense got a stop after that, but Stidham threw an interception on the Broncos next drive and the Patriots secured a spot in Super Bowl 60.

Patriots Super Bowl history

When was the last Super Bowl appearance for New England?

The Patriots are back in the Super Bowl for the first time since Tom Brady and Bill Belichick were leading the organization. The Patriots last reached the Super Bowl following the 2018 season, beating the Rams 13-3 in Super Bowl 53. This was their sixth Super Bowl victory.

This was a much different game than their other recent Super Bowl appearances. This was the end of a run of three Super Bowl appearances, of which they won two of them. The previous two games were shootouts, with the Patriots beating the Falcons 34-28 in Super Bowl 51 and losing 41-33 to the Eagles in Super Bowl 52.

The Patriots were a two-point favorite in Super Bowl 53 and the total was installed at 55 as two of the best offenses in the league were facing off. The Patriots ranked fourth in scoring while the Rams ranked second. It didn’t matter as both defenses stepped up in the Super Bowl. The Patriots held Jared Goff to 229 yards and only an interception, while the Rams rushing attack could only manage 62 yards. On offense, Tom Brady managed 262 yards and it was Julian Edelman and Sony Michel who were the difference on offense. Edelman had 10 receptions for 141 yards and won the MVP award. Michel rushed for 94 yards and the only touchdown in the game.

How many times have the Patriots appeared in the Super Bowl?

This year marks the franchise’s 12th trip to the Super Bowl. Their first appearance came after the 1985 season when they lost to the Super Bowl Shuffle Bears. They returned 11 years later, losing to the Packers thanks in large part to Desmond Howard’s kickoff return for a touchdown that put the game out of reach.

Five years later, the Patriots returned to the Super Bowl, this time beating the Rams in Super Bowl on an Adam Vinatieri field goal as time expired. They returned two years later and would go on to win back-to-back Super Bowls over the Panthers and Eagles. They lost Super Bowls to the Giants in 2008 and 2012, before returning to win three times across five seasons.

They head into this game with six wins and five losses in the Super Bowl. They are tied with the Steelers for the most Lombardi Trophies in NFL history.