# Broncos–Patriots rivalry

The Broncos–Patriots rivalry is a National Football League (NFL) rivalry between the Denver Broncos and New England Patriots (known as the Boston Patriots until 1971). Nowadays, the two teams do not play every year due to them playing in different intraconference divisions – Denver in the AFC West and New England in the AFC East; instead, they play at least once every three years and at least once every six seasons at each team's home stadium when their divisions are paired up, sometimes more often if they meet in the playoffs, or if the two teams finish in the same place in their respective divisions.

## History

The Broncos and Patriots met twice annually during the American Football League (AFL) years from 1960 to 1969 (with the exception of 1967 and 1969), and played in the first-ever AFL game on September 9, 1960. Since 1995, the two teams have met frequently during the regular season, including nine consecutive seasons from 1995 to 2003. As of the end of the 2020 season, the two teams have met in the playoffs five times, with the Broncos owning a 4–1 record. The teams' postseason meeting in the 1986 AFC Divisional playoffs was John Elway's first career playoff win, while the teams' second postseason meeting in the 2005 AFC Divisional playoffs was the Broncos' first playoff win since Elway's retirement after the 1998 season. The game was also notable for Champ Bailey's 100-yard interception that resulted in a touchdown-saving tackle by Benjamin Watson at the 1-yard line, although the Broncos would eventually score the touchdown shortly thereafter. This victory for the Broncos resulted in handing Tom Brady his first ever postseason loss as a starting quarterback after beginning his postseason career 10–0, while also ending the longest postseason winning streak in NFL history, which is ten games.
On October 11, 2009, the two teams met with former Patriots' offensive coordinator, Josh McDaniels as the Broncos' head coach. Both teams wore their AFL 50th anniversary jerseys. The game featured a 98-yard drive in the fourth quarter, with a game-tying touchdown pass from Kyle Orton to Brandon Marshall, followed by an overtime drive led by Orton that resulted in a 41-yard game-winning field goal by Matt Prater. The two teams met in the 2011 AFC Divisional playoffs, with the Patriots blowing out Tim Tebow and the Broncos by a score of 45–10. The Broncos' rivalry with the Patriots later intensified when longtime Indianapolis Colts' quarterback Peyton Manning became the Broncos' starting quarterback from 2012 to 2015. Manning and Patriots' quarterback Tom Brady maintained a legendary rivalry from 2001 until Manning's retirement after the 2015 season. Though Brady dominated Manning in regular season play, winning nine of twelve meetings (which includes winning all three meetings as a member of the Broncos), Manning won three of five playoff meetings and 3 of 4 AFC Championship Games (which includes going 2–0 in AFC Championship Games as a member of the Broncos), the last of which was a Broncos' 20–18 win in the 2015 AFC Championship Game.
Since Manning's retirement, the teams have met four times, with the road team winning each time. New England won 16–3 in 2016, 41–16 in 2017, and 26–23 in 2023. Meanwhile, the Broncos pulled off an 18–12 road upset in 2020. The 2020 game was notable as it was the first Broncos–Patriots meeting since 2000 that Tom Brady was not the Patriots QB, as he signed with the Buccaneers after the 2019 season. In the 2020 matchup, Broncos starting QB Drew Lock became the youngest QB ever to defeat Bill Belichick at Gillette Stadium, as well as only the second QB ever to throw multiple interceptions in a road game against Belichick's Patriots and win the game.

## Season-by-season results

All-time results
Denver Broncos vs. Boston/ New England Patriots Season-by-Season Results :
1960s (Patriots, 10–8)
SeasonSeason seriesat Denver Broncosat Boston PatriotsOverall seriesNotes
1960
Broncos 2–0
Broncos 31–24
Broncos 13–10
Broncos 2–0
First meeting in the series is played at Nickerson Field in Boston. The Broncos are placed in the AFL Western Division and the Patriots are placed in the AFL Eastern Division.
1961
Patriots 2–0
Patriots 28–24
Patriots 45–17
Tie 2–2
1962
Patriots 2–0
Patriots 33–29
Patriots 41–16
Patriots 4–2
1963
Tie 1–1
Broncos 14–10
Patriots 40–21
Patriots 5–3
Patriots lose 1963 AFL Championship.
1964
Patriots 2–0
Patriots 39–10
Patriots 12–7
Patriots 7–3
1965
Tie 1–1
Patriots 28–20
Broncos 27–10
Patriots 8–4
1966
Tie 1–1
Patriots 24–10
Broncos 17–10
Patriots 9–5
1967
Broncos 1–0
Broncos 26–21
no game
Patriots 9–6
1968
Tie 1–1
Patriots 20–17
Broncos 35–14
Patriots 10–7
1969
Broncos 1–0
Broncos 35–7
no game
Patriots 10–8 :
1970s (Broncos, 2–1)
SeasonResultsLocationOverall seriesNotes
1972
Broncos 45–21
Mile High Stadium
Patriots 10–9
First meeting since the AFL–NFL merger. First meeting in the series in which the Patriots played as the New England Patriots.
1976
Patriots 38–14
Schaefer Stadium
Patriots 11–9
1979
Broncos 45–10
Mile High Stadium
Patriots 11–10 :
1980s (Broncos, 5–1)
SeasonResultsLocationOverall seriesNotes
1980
Patriots 23–14
Schaefer Stadium
Patriots 12–10
1984
Broncos 26–19
Mile High Stadium
Patriots 12–11
First start in the series for John Elway.
1986
Broncos 27–20
Mile High Stadium
Tie 12–12
1986 Playoffs
Broncos 22–17
Mile High Stadium
Broncos 13–12
AFC Divisional Round. First postseason meeting in the series. Broncos lose Super Bowl XXI.
1987
Broncos 31–20
Mile High Stadium
Broncos 14–12
Broncos lose Super Bowl XXII.
1988
Broncos 21–10
Mile High Stadium
Broncos 15–12
The home team wins ten straight meetings. :
1990s (Broncos, 6–1)
SeasonResultsLocationOverall seriesNotes
1991
Broncos 9–6
Foxboro Stadium
Broncos 17–12
Broncos 20–3
Mile High Stadium
Marks the only time since the AFL–NFL merger that both teams have met twice in the regular season.
1995
Broncos 37–3
Foxboro Stadium
Broncos 18–12
1996
Broncos 34–8
Foxboro Stadium
Broncos 19–12
Patriots lose Super Bowl XXXI.
1997
Broncos 34–13
Mile High Stadium
Broncos 20–12
Broncos win Super Bowl XXXII.
1998
Broncos 27–21
Mile High Stadium
Broncos 21–12
The Broncos won 11 consecutive meetings and also won 11 consecutive home meetings. Broncos win Super Bowl XXXIII. Last start in the rivalry for John Elway. Elway finished with an 11–0 record against the Patriots.
1999
Patriots 24–23
Foxboro Stadium
Broncos 21–13
Last meeting at Foxboro Stadium. :
2000s (Broncos, 6–3)
SeasonResultsLocationOverall seriesNotes
2000
Patriots 28–19
Mile High Stadium
Broncos 21–14
Last meeting at Mile High Stadium. The first time the Patriots win in Denver since 1968.
2001
Broncos 31–20
Invesco Field at Mile High
Broncos 22–14
First meeting at Empower Field at Mile High (previously named Invesco Field at Mile High, Sports Authority Field at Mile High, and Broncos Stadium). First start for Tom Brady in the series. Patriots win Super Bowl XXXVI.
2002
Broncos 24–16
Gillette Stadium
Broncos 23–14
First meeting at Gillette Stadium.
2003
Patriots 30–26
Invesco Field at Mile High
Broncos 23–15
Down 24–23 and punting from their own 1-yard line with just under 3 minutes remaining in regulation, the Patriots elected to take an intentional safety to increase the Broncos lead to 26–23 but to take the free kick from their own 20-yard line in an attempt to get a defensive stop and better field position. The strategy worked as the Patriots forced a three-and-out and began their eventual game-winning drive beyond their own 40-yard line with just over 2 minutes remaining. Patriots' David Givens scored the touchdown with 30 seconds remaining. Patriots win Super Bowl XXXVIII.
2005
Broncos 28–20
Invesco Field at Mile High
Broncos 24–15
2005 Playoffs
Broncos 27–13
Invesco Field at Mile High
Broncos 25–15
AFC Divisional Round. Broncos hand Tom Brady his first-ever postseason loss after starting 10–0.
2006
Broncos 17–7
Gillette Stadium
Broncos 26–15
2008
Patriots 41–7
Gillette Stadium
Broncos 26–16
2009
Broncos 20–17
Invesco Field at Mile High
Broncos 27–16 :
2010s (Patriots, 7–3)
SeasonResultsLocationOverall seriesNotes
2011
Patriots 41–23
Sports Authority Field at Mile High
Broncos 27–17
Patriots lose Super Bowl XLVI.
2011 Playoffs
Patriots 45–10
Gillette Stadium
Broncos 27–18
AFC Divisional Round. Tom Brady throws postseason record 5 TDs as the Patriots advance.
2012
Patriots 31–21
Gillette Stadium
Broncos 27–19
First meeting of the Tom Brady–Peyton Manning rivalry in which Peyton Manning is the Broncos' QB.
2013
Patriots 34–31(OT)
Gillette Stadium
Broncos 27–20
PThe patriots overcome a 24–0 deficit in their overtime victory. Broncos lose Super Bowl XLVIII.
2013 Playoffs
Broncos 26–16
Sports Authority Field at Mile High
Broncos 28–20
AFC Championship Game.
2014
Patriots 43–21
Gillette Stadium
Broncos 28–21
Patriots win Super Bowl XLIX.
2015
Broncos 30–24(OT)
Sports Authority Field at Mile High
Broncos 29–21
The Broncos hand the 10–0 Patriots their first loss of the season. The only meeting from 2012–2015 that Peyton Manning did not start as the Broncos' quarterback in the series. Broncos win Super Bowl 50.
2015 Playoffs
Broncos 20–18
Sports Authority Field at Mile High
Broncos 30–21
AFC Championship Game. Broncos get a defensive stop on a game-tying two-point conversion attempt by the Patriots with 13 seconds remaining in regulation after Stephen Gostkowski missed a critical extra point early in the game. Last meeting in the Tom Brady–Peyton Manning rivalry.
2016
Patriots 16–3
Sports Authority Field at Mile High
Broncos 30–22
Patriots win Super Bowl LI.
2017
Patriots 41–16
Sports Authority Field at Mile High
Broncos 30–23
Last start for Tom Brady in the series. Patriots lose Super Bowl LII. :
2020s (Tie, 1–1)
SeasonResultsLocationOverall seriesNotes
2020
Broncos 18–12
Gillette Stadium
Broncos 31–23
2023
Patriots 26–23
Empower Field at Mile High
Broncos 31–24
Bill Belichick's final win as Patriots head coach. Russell Wilson was benched three days after the game. :
Summary of Results
SeasonSeason seriesat Denver Broncosat Boston/ N.E. PatriotsNotes
AFL regular season
Patriots 10–8
Patriots 6–4
Tie 4–4
NFL regular season
Broncos 19–13
Broncos 13–6
Patriots 7–6
AFL and NFL regular season
Broncos 27–23
Broncos 17–12
Patriots 11–10
Postseason
Broncos 4–1
Broncos 4–0
Patriots 1–0
AFC Divisional: 1986, 2005, 2011 AFC Championship: 2013, 2015
Regular and postseason
Broncos 31–24
Broncos 21–12
Patriots 12–10 :