<P> When the NFL and AFL merged in 1970 , the Patriots were placed in the AFC East division , where they still play today . The following year , the Patriots moved to a new stadium in Foxborough , Massachusetts , a suburb of Boston , which would serve as their home for 30 years ; the team also changed their name to the New England Patriots to reflect the location change , as well as its following throughout the region as its only NFL team ( though both New York City teams have substantial followings in parts of Connecticut as well ) . During the 1970s , the Patriots had some success , earning a berth to the playoffs in 1976 -- as a wild card - berth -- and in 1978 -- as AFC East champions . They would lose both games . In 1985 , they returned to the playoffs , and made it all the way to Super Bowl XX , which they lost against the Chicago Bears 46 -- 10 . Following their Super Bowl loss , they returned to the playoffs in 1986 , but lost in the first round . The team would not make the playoffs again for eight more years . They changed ownership several times in that period , being purchased from the Sullivan family first by Victor Kiam in 1988 , who sold the team to James Orthwein in 1992 . Orthwein intended to move the team to his native St. Louis , Missouri , but sold the team two years later to current owner , local businessman Robert Kraft in 1994 . </P>
<P> When the NFL and AFL merged in 1970 , the Patriots were placed in the AFC East division , where they still play today . The following year , the Patriots moved to a new stadium in Foxborough , Massachusetts , a suburb of Boston , which would serve as their home for 30 years ; the team also changed their name to the New England Patriots to reflect the location change , as well as its following throughout the region as its only NFL team ( though both New York City teams have substantial followings in parts of Connecticut as well ) . During the 1970s , the Patriots had some success , earning a berth to the playoffs in 1976 -- as a wild card - berth -- and in 1978 -- as AFC East champions . They would lose both games . In 1985 , they returned to the playoffs , and made it all the way to Super Bowl XX , which they lost against the Chicago Bears 46 -- 10 . Following their Super Bowl loss , they returned to the playoffs in 1986 , but lost in the first round . The team would not make the playoffs again for eight more years . They changed ownership several times in that period , being purchased from the Sullivan family first by Victor Kiam in 1988 , who sold the team to James Orthwein in 1992 . Orthwein intended to move the team to his native St. Louis , Missouri , but sold the team two years later to current owner , local businessman Robert Kraft in 1994 . </P>
who owns the new england patriots before robert kraft
who owns the new england patriots before robert kraft
James Orthwein
James Orthwein