The Patriots All-Time Super Bowl Roster

As of Super Bowl LX, the New England Patriots have been to the big game a record 12 times. Obviously, with so many trips to the game, the franchise has featured some pretty impressive rosters. Lets take a look at the very best to suit up for the Patriots on football's grandest stage.

Quarterback- Tom Brady

Having led the team to nine Super Bowl appearances and winning six, this was a no brainer. From his very first Super Bowl in 2001, the greatest passer of his generations came up big when it mattered most. Even when he lost in Super Bowl LII, he still put up a record 505 yards. His lasting legacy will forever be when he led the Patriots out of a 25-point deficit in Super Bowl LI, completing a record 43 out of 62 passes along the way before winning it all in overtime.

Running Back- James White

There were so many heroes in Super Bowl LI, but only James White scored three touchdowns, tying a Super Bowl record that mysteriously has yet to be sub planted. He caught a record 14 passes for 10 yard and a touchdown while making the most of his six rushing attempts for 29 yards by scoring twice more on the ground, including the game winner in overtime.

Slot- Julian Edelman

The Super Bowl LII MVP always came up big when it mattered most. While that particular Super Bowl was an offensive slog, Edelman still managed to catch 10 passes for 141 yards as his team beat the high-powered Rams 13-3. Just two years earlier, he caught the catch of his life on a critical third down to give the Patriots new life as they sought to tie the game at 28-all late in the fourth quarter. Two years earlier, he gained 109 yard on nine receptions while catching the game-winner toe beat the Seattle Seahawks 28-24.

Wide Receiver- Deion Branch

Tom Brady loved throwing to this guy! Deion Branch caught 10 of the 13 pases thrown to him in Super bowl 38 for 143 yards and a touchdown. His third down catch late in the fourth quarter set up Adam Viniateri's game winning field goal. Branch stepped up the following year by catching 11 of 12 passes for 133 yards while earning Super Bowl MVP as his team beat the Eagles 24-21.

Tight End- Rob Gronkowski

At 6'6" 250+ pounds, Rob Gronkowski is a hard man to miss and an impossible man to cover. Still, the hobbled super star (hamstring) only caught two passes for 26 yards in his first Super Bowl back in February 2012. He made up for his shortcomings three years later by cathing six passes for 68 yarda and a touchdown in Super Bowl 39. Against the Eagles three years after that, Gronkowski caught nine passes for 116 yard and two touchdowns. His monstrous 29-yard grab against hte Rams set up the Patriots' game winning touchdown in Super Bowl LIII.

After retiring in 2019, Rob Gronkowski returned to the game in 2020 and signed on with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers where he caught six of Tom Brady's passes for 67 yards and two touchdowns to throttle the Chiefs 31-9.

Offensive Line- The 2003 Unit

Since the main goal of an offensive lineman is to not make a mistake, I chose the best overall unit based on sacks, yard and touchdowns. I could have chosen higher flying units such as as 2016 or 2017 which each produced more than 500 yards of offense. However, both allowed at least one sack. Instead, I chose the 2003 team. Led by left tackle Matt Light, left guard Russ Hochstein, center Dan Koppen, right guard Joe Andruzzi and right tackle Tom Ashworth, the Patriots produced 481 yards of total offense while grinding out 127 yards on the ground and allowing Tom Brady to complete 32 0f 48 passes for 354 yards and three touchdowns. It was an all around great effort that resulted in the best possible result.

Defensive End- Richard Seymour

As a rookie in 2001, Richard Seymour recorded a sack to go along with three solo tackles. Two years later, the future Hall of Famer recorded tow solo tackles while batting down a Jake Delhomme pass and recovering a fumble. He missed most of the 2004 playoffs with an injury but returned just in time to record another sack in the Super Bowl. He was all over the field against the Giants in 2007, recording seven combined tackles in the loss

Nose Tackle- Vince Wilfork

With a wide body and a low center of gravity, he was built as the perfect nose tackle. After recording a single assisted tackle in the 2004 Super Bowl as a rookie, Vince Wilfork was all over the field in the 2007 Super Bowl, recording four unassisted tackles and seven combined in the loss. He recorded three more solo tackles in the 2011 Super Bowl before finally getting his second ring in 2014 after making two unassisted tackles. It was his last game as a Patriot.

Defensive End- Trey Flowers

He showed up big when it mattered most in Super Bowl LI. Trey Flowers hit Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan five times that night and recorded 2.5 sacks, the last of which put the Falcons out of field goal range, forcing them to punt to the Patriots and breathing new life into New England.

Outside Linebacker- Chris Slade/Ted Johnson

These two players were so good together that I simply couldn't mention one without the other. In the 1996 Super Bowl, Slade recorded 11 combined tackles (10 solo) while Johnson single handedly tackled Green Bay players nine times.

Inside Linebacker- Tedy Bruschi

Tedy Bruschi had seen a lot as one of the longest tenured members of the New England Patriots. He sacked Bret Favre twice in the 1996 Super Bowl and snatched a loose ball from the Greatest Show on Turf in 2001. He made four combined tackles in 2003 and made nine more the following year while sacking Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb and picking him off as well for good measure. Alas, Bruschi's eight combined tackles were not enough to stop the New York Giants from upsetting the undefeated Patriots in 2007.

Inside Linebacker- Donta Hightower

Donta Hightower was another one of those players who just found the most perfect spots to make the loudest impact. He stopped Seahawks running back Marshawn lynch at the one-yard line in 2014, setting up worst call in the game's lengthy history. In 2016, he lined up just wide enough so that falcons running back Donta Freeman couldn't see him coming around the edge on a blitz. Atlanta paid for that big time when Hightower stripped Matt Ryan of the ball, breathing new life into his teammates right before they embarked on the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history. Two years later, Hightower sacked Jarred Goff twice as the Patriots beat the Rams 13-3.

Outside Linebacker- Willie McGinest

The NFL's all-time career sack leader in the playoffs recorded two in wins over the Rams and Panthers and was held sackless against the Eagles in 2004. He had 13 combined tackles in those three games as well.

Cornerback- Ty Law

His 47-yard pick-six against the Rams gave the 2001 Patriots the spark that they needed to beat the Greatest Show on Turf.

Cornerback- Devin McCourty

The second-year player out of Rutgers made six solo tackles against the Giants in 2011 and made four more against the Seahawks in 2014 and the Falcons in 2016. After his six solo tackles against the Eagles proved to be not enough, the Patriots signed his twin brother Jason the very next year. It was Jason who made that play of his life against the Rams, sprinting a quarter of the length of the field to break up a sure touchdown late in the game. Afterwards, the twins celebrated as they had finally won a championship together.

Safety- Rodney Harrison

Although his arrival forced the team to cut franchise-favorite Lawyer Milloy in 2003, Rodney Harrison filled his shoes quickly. He made nine combined tackles in the 2003 Super Bowl and picked off Donovan McNabb twi the next year.He was all over the field in 2007, recording 12 tackles, yet he could leap high enough to stop David Tyree from catching the ball with his helmet.