Jan 25, 2026; Denver, CO, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) reacts after defeating the Denver Broncos in the 2026 AFC Championship Game at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Patriots Continue to Make Super Bowl Appearance History

Originally posted on New England Patriots on SI
By Jennifer Streeter | Last updated Jan 26, 2026 7:00 AM ET

With a 10-7 win over the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship, the New England Patriots have secured their spot in California at Levi's Stadium for Super Bowl LX.

And going into that game on Feb. 8, the Patriots have already written Super Bowl history. New England already holds the record for most Super Bowl appearances by a team at 11. This bar will now be raised even higher with the Patriots' 12th appearance. The Pats are currently tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the league record in Super Bowl victories with six.

In addition, the Patriots now have the possibility to join the Boston Celtics as a New England team with the most championship wins in their league.

As Mike D'Abate originally reported for New England Patriots On SI, quarterback Drake Maye completed 10-of-21 for 86 yards with one rushing touchdown, as well as 10 carries for 65 yards on the ground. On the flip side, Broncos QB Jarrett Stidham threw for 133 yards on 17-of-31 attempts with one touchdown and one interception by cornerback Christian Gonzalez with just over two minutes remaining in the game.

@DrakeMaye2 | @NFL pic.twitter.com/M9ZYCWEUFX
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) January 25, 2026

This was pivotal en route to the Pats' next Super Bowl appearance, with New England also enjoying one of the most impressive turnarounds in league history. The Patriots improved from a 4-13 record in 2024 to a whopping 14-3 record in 2025.

New England has seen 11 Super Bowl appearances, including six wins and five losses. Ahead of Super Bowl LX, here is a look at their history in the ultimate championship game:

1985: Chicago Bears defeat Patriots, 46-10
1996: Green Bay Packers defeat Patriots, 35-21
2001: Patriots defeat St. Louis Rams, 20-17
2003: Patriots defeat Carolina Panthers, 32-29
2004: Patriots defeat Philadelphia Eagles, 24-21
2007: New York Giants defeat Patriots, 17-14
2011: New York Giants defeat Patriots, 21-17
2014: Patriots defeat Seattle Seahawks, 28-24
2016: Patriots defeat Atlanta Falcons, 34-28 (OT)
2017: Philadelphia Eagles defeat Patriots, 41-33
2018: Patriots defeat Los Angeles Rams, 13-3

If all of this wasn't enough, Patriots' first-year (at least with this particular franchise) head coach of Mike Vrabel could become the first coach to win a Super Bowl as a player and then as a coach with the same franchise — he was apart of the 2004-05 winning New England team and suited up in a total of three Super Bowls for XXXVI, XXXVIII and XXXIX as a player.

Vrabel also becomes the third person in league history to make the Super Bowl as both a player and head coach, joining Gary Kubiak and Art Shell.

This article first appeared on New England Patriots on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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