The 2020 season was the New England Patriots' 51st in the National Football League (NFL), their 61st overall, and their 21st under head coach Bill Belichick.
It was the first season since 1999 without quarterback Tom Brady on the roster, as he signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Brady led the Patriots to nine Super Bowl appearances, winning six, and had been their primary starting quarterback from 2001 to 2019, and would go on to win Super Bowl LV with his new team, his seventh overall. The Patriots signed long-time Carolina Panthers quarterback and 2015 MVP Cam Newton on June 29, and named him the starting quarterback on September 3.
The Patriots attempted to win their 12th consecutive AFC East title and their first since 1997 without Tom Brady. However, they saw many key players opt out of the season due to COVID-19 concerns and battled numerous injuries throughout the season. They began the season 2–5, their worst record through 7 games since 2000. They failed to improve on their 12–4 record from the previous season following a Week 7 loss to the San Francisco 49ers and failed to match that record following a Week 8 loss to the division rival Buffalo Bills. Following a Sunday Night win by the Bills over the Steelers in week 14, the Patriots failed to win their division for the first time since 2008, and they were mathematically eliminated from playoff contention for the first time since 2008 with a Week 15 loss to the Dolphins, ending their winning season streak at 19. This leaves the record to the Dallas Cowboys at 20 consecutive winning seasons from 1966 to 1985. After their blowout loss to the Buffalo Bills in week 16, the New England Patriots finished the 2020 season with a losing record for the first time since 2000.
This was only the third time after 2000 and the first time since 2008 in which the Patriots missed the playoffs and failed to win the division. With their 11-year streak of playoff appearances snapped, the Buffalo Bills now hold the league's longest playoff streak, making the playoffs every year since 2018. In addition, New England's streak of 10+ win seasons that dated back to their 2003 Super Bowl-winning season, which was an NFL record, also came to an end following a Week 14 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
For the season, the Patriots adopted a modified version of their Color Rush jerseys as their primary home uniform while introducing a new road uniform for the first time since 2000.
This was also the final season of Super Bowl MVP Julian Edelman’s career. He played his final game in Week 7 against the San Francisco 49ers. He underwent precautionary surgery for a chronic knee injury and did not return for the remainder of the season. On April 12, 2021, he announced his retirement from the NFL.
Contents
Roster changes
Trades
March 18 – The Patriots traded safety Duron Harmon and a 2020 seventh-round selection (No. 235 overall) to the Detroit Lions in exchange for the Lions' 2020 fifth-round selection (No. 172 overall).
April 21 – The Patriots traded tight end Rob Gronkowski and a 2020 seventh-round selection (No. 241 overall) to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in exchange for the Buccaneers' fourth-round selection (No. 139 overall).
August 9 – The Patriots traded a conditional 2022 seventh-round selection to the Detroit Lions in exchange for cornerback Mike Jackson Sr.
November 3 – The Patriots traded a 2022 seventh-round selection to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for wide receiver Isaiah Ford.
Draft
Notes
New England traded a 2020 first-round selection (No. 23 overall) to the Los Angeles Chargers in exchange for a 2020 second-round selection (No. 37 overall) and a 2020 third-round selection (No. 71 overall).
New England traded a 2020 second-round selection (No. 55 overall) to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for wide receiver Mohamed Sanu.
New England acquired a 2020 second-round selection (No. 60 overall) and a 2020 fourth-round selection (No. 129 overall) in exchange for two 2020 third-round selections (No. 71 overall and No. 98 overall).
New England acquired a 2020 third-round selection (No. 91 overall) and a 2020 fifth-round selection (No. 159 overall) in exchange for a 2020 third-round selection (No. 100 overall), a 2020 fourth-round selection (No. 139 overall), and a 2020 fifth-round selection (No. 172 overall).
New England acquired a 2020 third-round selection (No. 101 overall) in exchange for two 2020 fourth-round selections (No. 125 overall and No. 129 overall) and a 2021 sixth-round selection.
New England acquired a 2020 fourth-round selection (No. 125 overall) as part of a trade that sent their 2019 third- and sixth-round selections to the Chicago Bears.
New England acquired a 2020 fourth-round selection (No. 139 overall) as part of a trade that sent tight end Rob Gronkowski and a 2020 seventh-round selection (No. 241 overall) to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
New England traded a 2020 fourth-round selection (No. 129 overall) to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for offensive lineman Jermaine Eluemunor and a 2020 sixth-round selection (No. 207 overall).
New England traded a 2020 fifth-round selection (No. 168 overall) to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for a 2020 seventh-round selection (No. 235 overall) and defensive lineman Michael Bennett.
Preseason
The Patriots' preseason schedule was announced on May 7, but was later cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Regular season
Schedule
The Patriots' 2020 schedule was announced on May 7.
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries
This was the Patriots' first game without longtime quarterback Tom Brady since October 2, 2016, and their first without Brady on the roster since January 2, 2000. Nonetheless, new starting quarterback Cam Newton performed admirably, finishing with a 79% completion percentage and leading a rush-heavy offensive attack with 75 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns on the ground, as the Patriots finished with 217 rushing yards overall. With the win, New England opened the season at 1–0.
A competitive matchup versus the Seahawks on Sunday Night Football saw Seattle pull away during the third quarter, though the Patriots offense kept pace in the fourth quarter. A potential game-winning drive by the Patriots was snuffed out when Cam Newton, who passed for nearly 400 yards, was stuffed short of the goal line on a quarterback keeper in the final seconds of the game. This was New England's third loss in four career meetings with former Patriots head coach Pete Carroll. It was also Newton's sixth loss in eight career games against the Seahawks.
Running back Rex Burkhead scored three touchdowns in a blowout win over the previously undefeated Raiders with the Patriots rushing for 250 yards; the game was Belichick's 275th career win with the Patriots. As of 2025, this the last time the Patriots had defeated the Raiders.
The game was postponed to Monday night after Cam Newton tested positive for COVID-19. With Newton out, backup quarterback Brian Hoyer made the start for the Patriots. A low-scoring defensive affair in the first half saw the New England defense shut down Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes for much of the half, though the Patriots offense was likewise ineffective, with Hoyer taking a sack on the last play of the first half that prevented a potential game-tying field goal. Mahomes and the Chiefs offense came to life late in the third quarter, scoring two touchdowns on back-to-back drives as Hoyer was benched for Jarrett Stidham, who threw his first career touchdown but also two interceptions, including a pick-six to Tyrann Mathieu that all but sealed the game and dropped New England to 2–2.
Despite scoring the game's only touchdown, this was the Patriots' first home loss to Denver in 14 years as they fell below .500, the first time they failed to be above .500 following Week 6 since 2002. In addition, it was the first time the Patriots lost without giving up a touchdown in the Bill Belichick era.