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1996 New England Patriots
Franchise Index: Previous Season / Next Season
Record: 11-5-0, Finished 1st in AFC East Division
NFL Season Summary
1996 AFC Champions
Scored 418 points (26.1/g), 2nd of 30 in the NFL.
Allowed 313 points (19.6/g), 14th.
Differential of 105 points (6.6/g), 5th.
Expected W-L: 10.6-5.4.
Takeaway/Giveaway Differential +7 (0.4/g), 7th.
Simple Rating System: Total 5.1, Offense: 4.9, Defense: 0.2, SoS: -1.5, versus averages of 0.0.
Coached by
Bill Parcells (11-5-0)
Offensive Coordinator: Ray Perkins
Defensive Coordinator: Al Groh
Other Notable Asst.: Romeo Crennel (Defensive Line)
Training Camp: Bryant College (Smithfield, Rhode Island)
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Starters
ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+),Hide Non-primary Starters
| Pos | Age | Yrs | GS | Summary of Player Stats | Drafted (tm/rnd/yr) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offensive Starters | ||||||
| QB | Drew Bledsoe* | 24 | 3 | 16 | 373 for 623, 4,086 yards, 27 td, 15 int, & 24 rushes for 27 yards and 0 td | New England Patriots / 1st / 1st pick / 1993 |
| RB | Curtis Martin* | 23 | 1 | 15 | 316 rushes for 1,152 yards, 14 td, & 46 catches for 333 yards and 3 td | New England Patriots / 3rd / 74th pick / 1995 |
| FB | Sam Gash | 27 | 4 | 9 | 8 rushes for 15 yards, 0 td, & 33 catches for 276 yards and 2 td | New England Patriots / 8th / 205th pick / 1992 |
| WR | Terry Glenn | 22 | Rook | 15 | 90 catches for 1,132 yards, 6 td, & 5 rushes for 42 yards and 0 td | New England Patriots / 1st / 7th pick / 1996 |
| WR | Shawn Jefferson | 27 | 5 | 15 | 50 catches for 771 yards, 4 td, & 1 rush for 6 yards and 0 td | Houston Oilers / 9th / 240th pick / 1991 |
| TE | Ben Coates* | 27 | 5 | 15 | 62 catches for 682 yards, 9 td | New England Patriots / 5th / 124th pick / 1991 |
| TE | Keith Byars | 33 | 10 | 6 | 27 catches for 249 yards, 2 td, & 2 rushes for 2 yards and 0 td | Philadelphia Eagles / 1st / 10th pick / 1986 |
| LT | Bruce Armstrong* | 31 | 9 | 16 | New England Patriots / 1st / 23rd pick / 1987 | |
| LG | William Roberts | 34 | 12 | 16 | New York Giants / 1st / 27th pick / 1984 | |
| C | Dave Wohlabaugh | 24 | 1 | 16 | 2 fumbles recovered | New England Patriots / 4th / 112th pick / 1995 |
| RG | Todd Rucci | 26 | 3 | 12 | New England Patriots / 2nd / 51st pick / 1993 | |
| RT | Max Lane | 25 | 2 | 16 | 3 fumbles recovered | New England Patriots / 6th / 168th pick / 1994 |
| Defensive Starters | ||||||
| LDE | Mike D. Jones | 27 | 5 | 12 | 2.0 sacks, 0 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Phoenix Cardinals / 2nd / 32nd pick / 1991 |
| LDE | Ferric Collons | 27 | 1 | 5 | 0.5 sacks, 0 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | |
| LDT | Mark Wheeler | 26 | 4 | 15 | 1.0 sacks, 0 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Tampa Bay Buccaneers / 3rd / 59th pick / 1992 |
| RDT | Pio Sagapolutele | 27 | 5 | 10 | 3.0 sacks, 0 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | Cleveland Browns / 4th / 85th pick / 1991 |
| RDE | Willie McGinest* | 25 | 2 | 16 | 9.5 sacks, 1 interception, 2 fumbles recovered | New England Patriots / 1st / 4th pick / 1994 |
| LLB | Todd F. Collins | 26 | 4 | 9 | 0.0 sacks, 1 interception, 0 fumbles recovered | New England Patriots / 3rd / 64th pick / 1992 |
| LLB | Monty Brown | 26 | 3 | 7 | ||
| LLB | Chris Slade | 25 | 3 | 9 | 7.0 sacks, 1 interception, 0 fumbles recovered | New England Patriots / 2nd / 31st pick / 1993 |
| MLB | Ted Johnson | 24 | 1 | 16 | 0.0 sacks, 1 interception, 1 fumble recovered | New England Patriots / 2nd / 57th pick / 1995 |
| RLB | Dwayne Sabb | 27 | 4 | 7 | 0.5 sacks, 1 interception, 0 fumbles recovered | New England Patriots / 5th / 116th pick / 1992 |
| LCB | Ty Law | 22 | 1 | 12 | 0.0 sacks, 3 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | New England Patriots / 1st / 23rd pick / 1995 |
| RCB | Ricky Reynolds | 31 | 9 | 9 | 0.0 sacks, 2 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | Tampa Bay Buccaneers / 2nd / 36th pick / 1987 |
| RCB | Jimmy Hitchcock | 26 | 1 | 5 | 0.0 sacks, 2 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | New England Patriots / 3rd / 88th pick / 1995 |
| RCB | Otis Smith | 31 | 5 | 6 | 1.0 sacks, 2 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | |
| SS | Lawyer Milloy | 23 | Rook | 10 | 1.0 sacks, 2 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | New England Patriots / 2nd / 36th pick / 1996 |
| SS | Terry Ray | 27 | 4 | 7 | 1.0 sacks, 1 interception, 0 fumbles recovered | Atlanta Falcons / 6th / 158th pick / 1992 |
| FS | Willie Clay | 26 | 4 | 15 | 0.0 sacks, 4 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Detroit Lions / 8th / 221st pick / 1992 |
| Special Teams Starters | ||||||
| K | Adam Vinatieri | 24 | Rook | 0 | 27 of 35 field goals & 39 of 42 extra points | |
| P | Tom Tupa | 30 | 8 | 0 | 63 punts for a 43.5 average, 0 blocked | Phoenix Cardinals / 3rd / 68th pick / 1988 |
| PR | Dave Meggett* | 30 | 7 | 1 | 52 punt returns for a 11.3 average and 1 td | New York Giants / 5th / 132nd pick / 1989 |
| KR | Dave Meggett* | 30 | 7 | 1 | 34 kick returns for a 23.0 average and 0 td | New York Giants / 5th / 132nd pick / 1989 |
| No. | Age | Pos | G | GS | Wt | Ht | College/Univ | BirthDate | Yrs | Drafted (tm/rnd/yr) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 78 | Bruce Armstrong* | 31 | T-G | 16 | 16 | 295 | 6-4 | Louisville | 9/7/1965 | 9 | New England Patriots / 1st / 23rd pick / 1987 |
| 98 | Troy Barnett | 25 | DE-DT | 1 | 0 | 293 | 6-5 | North Carolina | 5/24/1971 | 2 | |
| 86 | Mike Bartrum | 26 | TE-C | 16 | 0 | 245 | 6-4 | Marshall | 6/23/1970 | 3 | |
| 11 | Drew Bledsoe* | 24 | QB | 16 | 16 | 238 | 6-5 | Washington St. | 2/14/1972 | 3 | New England Patriots / 1st / 1st pick / 1993 |
| 82 | Vincent Brisby | 25 | WR | 3 | 0 | 190 | 6-3 | La-Monroe | 1/25/1971 | 3 | New England Patriots / 2nd / 56th pick / 1993 |
| 30 | Corwin Brown | 26 | DB | 14 | 0 | 200 | 6-1 | Michigan | 4/25/1970 | 3 | New England Patriots / 4th / 110th pick / 1993 |
| 93 | Monty Brown | 26 | LB | 11 | 7 | 238 | 6-0 | Ferris St. | 4/13/1970 | 3 | |
| 80 | Troy Brown | 25 | WR | 16 | 0 | 196 | 5-10 | Marshall | 7/2/1971 | 3 | New England Patriots / 8th / 198th pick / 1993 |
| 54 | Tedy Bruschi | 23 | LB | 16 | 0 | 247 | 6-1 | Arizona | 6/9/1973 | Rook | New England Patriots / 3rd / 86th pick / 1996 |
| 85 | John Burke | 25 | TE-WR | 11 | 2 | 248 | 6-3 | Virginia Tech | 9/7/1971 | 2 | New England Patriots / 4th / 121st pick / 1994 |
| 41 | Keith Byars | 33 | RB-TE | 10 | 6 | 245 | 6-1 | Ohio St. | 10/14/1963 | 10 | Philadelphia Eagles / 1st / 10th pick / 1986 |
| 32 | Willie Clay | 26 | DB | 16 | 15 | 193 | 5-10 | Georgia Tech | 9/5/1970 | 4 | Detroit Lions / 8th / 221st pick / 1992 |
| 87 | Ben Coates* | 27 | TE | 16 | 15 | 245 | 6-5 | Livingstone | 8/16/1969 | 5 | New England Patriots / 5th / 124th pick / 1991 |
| 59 | Todd F. Collins | 26 | LB | 16 | 9 | 248 | 6-2 | Georgia,Tennessee,Carson-Newman | 5/27/1970 | 4 | New England Patriots / 3rd / 64th pick / 1992 |
| 92 | Ferric Collons | 27 | DE | 15 | 5 | 290 | 6-7 | California | 12/4/1969 | 1 | |
| 66 | Jeff Dellenbach | 33 | C-T-G | 2 | 0 | 290 | 6-6 | Wisconsin | 2/14/1963 | 11 | Miami Dolphins / 4th / 111th pick / 1985 |
| 90 | Chad Eaton | 24 | DT-NT | 4 | 0 | 303 | 6-5 | Washington St. | 4/6/1972 | Rook | Arizona Cardinals / 7th / 241st pick / 1995 |
| 33 | Sam Gash | 27 | FB | 14 | 9 | 242 | 6-0 | Penn St. | 3/7/1969 | 4 | New England Patriots / 8th / 205th pick / 1992 |
| 67 | Mike Gisler | 27 | C-G | 14 | 0 | 295 | 6-4 | Houston | 8/26/1969 | 3 | New Orleans Saints / 11th / 303rd pick / 1992 |
| 88 | Terry Glenn | 22 | WR | 15 | 15 | 195 | 5-11 | Ohio St. | 7/23/1974 | Rook | New England Patriots / 1st / 7th pick / 1996 |
| 81 | Hason Graham | 25 | WR | 9 | 0 | 176 | 5-10 | Georgia | 3/21/1971 | 1 | |
| 35 | Marrio Grier | 25 | RB | 16 | 0 | 229 | 5-10 | Clemson,Tenn-Chattanooga | 12/5/1971 | Rook | New England Patriots / 6th / 195th pick / 1996 |
| 26 | Jerome Henderson | 27 | DB | 7 | 0 | 193 | 5-10 | Clemson | 8/8/1969 | 5 | New England Patriots / 2nd / 41st pick / 1991 |
| 31 | Jimmy Hitchcock | 26 | DB | 13 | 5 | 190 | 5-10 | North Carolina | 11/9/1970 | 1 | New England Patriots / 3rd / 88th pick / 1995 |
| 84 | Shawn Jefferson | 27 | WR | 15 | 15 | 185 | 5-11 | Central Florida | 2/22/1969 | 5 | Houston Oilers / 9th / 240th pick / 1991 |
| 83 | Dietrich Jells | 24 | WR | 7 | 1 | 186 | 5-10 | Pittsburgh | 4/11/1972 | Rook | Kansas City Chiefs / 6th / 176th pick / 1996 |
| 52 | Ted Johnson | 24 | LB | 16 | 16 | 253 | 6-4 | Colorado | 12/4/1972 | 1 | New England Patriots / 2nd / 57th pick / 1995 |
| 96 | Mike D. Jones | 27 | DE | 16 | 12 | 290 | 6-4 | North Carolina St. | 8/25/1969 | 5 | Phoenix Cardinals / 2nd / 32nd pick / 1991 |
| 61 | Bob Kratch | 30 | G | 8 | 4 | 288 | 6-3 | Iowa | 1/6/1966 | 7 | New York Giants / 3rd / 64th pick / 1989 |
| 68 | Max Lane | 25 | T-G | 16 | 16 | 315 | 6-6 | Navy | 2/22/1971 | 2 | New England Patriots / 6th / 168th pick / 1994 |
| 24 | Ty Law | 22 | DB | 13 | 12 | 200 | 5-11 | Michigan | 2/10/1974 | 1 | New England Patriots / 1st / 23rd pick / 1995 |
| 43 | Vernon Lewis | 26 | DB | 7 | 0 | 192 | 5-10 | Pittsburgh | 10/27/1970 | 3 | |
| 15 | Ray Lucas | 24 | QB | 2 | 0 | 214 | 6-3 | Rutgers | 8/6/1972 | Rook | |
| 28 | Curtis Martin* | 23 | RB | 16 | 15 | 210 | 5-11 | Pittsburgh | 5/1/1973 | 1 | New England Patriots / 3rd / 74th pick / 1995 |
| 55 | Willie McGinest* | 25 | DE-LB | 16 | 16 | 270 | 6-5 | USC | 12/11/1971 | 2 | New England Patriots / 1st / 4th pick / 1994 |
| 27 | Michael McGruder | 32 | DB | 14 | 0 | 185 | 5-11 | Kent St. | 5/6/1964 | 7 | |
| 22 | Dave Meggett* | 30 | RB | 16 | 1 | 190 | 5-7 | Morgan St.,Towson St. | 4/30/1966 | 7 | New York Giants / 5th / 132nd pick / 1989 |
| 36 | Lawyer Milloy | 23 | DB | 16 | 10 | 210 | 6-0 | Washington | 11/14/1973 | Rook | New England Patriots / 2nd / 36th pick / 1996 |
| 58 | Marty Moore | 25 | LB | 16 | 0 | 244 | 6-1 | Kentucky | 3/19/1971 | 2 | New England Patriots / 7th / 222nd pick / 1994 |
| 83 | Will Moore | 26 | WR | 2 | 1 | 184 | 6-1 | Texas Southern | 2/21/1970 | 1 | |
| 48 | Lovett Purnell | 24 | TE | 2 | 0 | 245 | 6-3 | West Virginia | 4/7/1972 | Rook | New England Patriots / 7th / 216th pick / 1996 |
| 23 | Terry Ray | 27 | DB | 16 | 7 | 205 | 6-1 | Oklahoma | 10/12/1969 | 4 | Atlanta Falcons / 6th / 158th pick / 1992 |
| 21 | Ricky Reynolds | 31 | DB | 12 | 9 | 190 | 5-11 | Washington St. | 1/19/1965 | 9 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers / 2nd / 36th pick / 1987 |
| 62 | David Richards | 30 | G-T | 5 | 0 | 315 | 6-5 | SMU,UCLA | 4/11/1966 | 8 | San Diego Chargers / 4th / 98th pick / 1988 |
| 76 | William Roberts | 34 | G-T | 16 | 16 | 291 | 6-5 | Ohio St. | 8/5/1962 | 12 | New York Giants / 1st / 27th pick / 1984 |
| 71 | Todd Rucci | 26 | G-T | 16 | 12 | 296 | 6-5 | Penn St. | 7/14/1970 | 3 | New England Patriots / 2nd / 51st pick / 1993 |
| 95 | Dwayne Sabb | 27 | LB | 16 | 7 | 248 | 6-4 | New Hampshire | 10/9/1969 | 4 | New England Patriots / 5th / 116th pick / 1992 |
| 75 | Pio Sagapolutele | 27 | DT-DE | 15 | 10 | 297 | 6-6 | San Diego St. | 11/28/1969 | 5 | Cleveland Browns / 4th / 85th pick / 1991 |
| 94 | Walter Scott | 23 | DE | 1 | 0 | 285 | 6-3 | East Carolina | 5/18/1973 | Rook | |
| 53 | Chris Slade | 25 | LB | 16 | 9 | 245 | 6-5 | Virginia | 1/30/1971 | 3 | New England Patriots / 2nd / 31st pick / 1993 |
| 45 | Otis Smith | 31 | DB | 11 | 6 | 198 | 5-11 | Southern,Missouri | 10/22/1965 | 5 | |
| 74 | Chris Sullivan | 23 | DE | 16 | 0 | 279 | 6-4 | Boston Col. | 3/14/1973 | Rook | New England Patriots / 4th / 119th pick / 1996 |
| 19 | Tom Tupa | 30 | QB-P | 16 | 0 | 225 | 6-4 | Ohio St. | 2/6/1966 | 8 | Phoenix Cardinals / 3rd / 68th pick / 1988 |
| 4 | Adam Vinatieri | 24 | K | 16 | 0 | 202 | 6-0 | South Dakota St. | 12/28/1972 | Rook | |
| 97 | Mark Wheeler | 26 | DT-NT | 16 | 15 | 285 | 6-3 | Texas A&M | 4/1/1970 | 4 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers / 3rd / 59th pick / 1992 |
| 25 | Larry Whigham | 24 | DB | 16 | 1 | 205 | 6-2 | La-Monroe | 6/23/1972 | 2 | Seattle Seahawks / 4th / 110th pick / 1994 |
| 64 | Dave Wohlabaugh | 24 | C | 16 | 16 | 296 | 6-3 | Syracuse | 4/13/1972 | 1 | New England Patriots / 4th / 112th pick / 1995 |
| 72 | Devin Wyman | 23 | DT | 9 | 4 | 290 | 6-7 | Kentucky St. | 8/29/1973 | Rook | New England Patriots / 6th / 206th pick / 1996 |
| 16 | Scott Zolak | 29 | QB | 3 | 0 | 230 | 6-5 | Maryland | 12/13/1967 | 4 | New England Patriots / 4th / 84th pick / 1991 |
| Team Total | 26.3 | 16 | 240.1 | 6-2.0 | 3.3 |