Every New England Patriots Super Bowl Loss, From XX to LX
The Patriots have lost six Super Bowls through LX. See every defeat by season, date, opponent and score, with the key moments behind each loss.
The New England Patriots have lost six Super Bowls: XX, XXXI, XLII, XLVI, LII and LX. Their most recent defeat was 29–13 against the Seattle Seahawks on February 8, 2026. Through Super Bowl LX, New England’s record in the game is 6–6 across 12 appearances. The Giants are the only team to have beaten the Patriots twice in a Super Bowl. (Super Bowl results)
Every Patriots Super Bowl loss
The season column identifies the NFL season being decided—not the calendar year in which the Super Bowl was played. Scores below list the winning opponent first.
| NFL season | Super Bowl | Game date | Opponent | Final score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | XX (20) | January 26, 1986 | Chicago Bears | 46–10 |
| 1996 | XXXI (31) | January 26, 1997 | Green Bay Packers | 35–21 |
| 2007 | XLII (42) | February 3, 2008 | New York Giants | 17–14 |
| 2011 | XLVI (46) | February 5, 2012 | New York Giants | 21–17 |
| 2017 | LII (52) | February 4, 2018 | Philadelphia Eagles | 41–33 |
| 2025 | LX (60) | February 8, 2026 | Seattle Seahawks | 29–13 |
Results through Super Bowl LX, checked November 2, 2026. Source: Pro Football Reference’s Super Bowl history.
How the six defeats unfolded
Super Bowl XX: Chicago overwhelms New England
The Patriots’ first Super Bowl appearance produced their largest Super Bowl defeat: a 36-point margin. New England actually struck first, with Tony Franklin’s field goal after an early Chicago fumble. The Bears then scored 44 unanswered points. Chicago’s defense recorded seven sacks and held the Patriots to just seven rushing yards; New England had minus-19 total yards at halftime. (Patriots’ Super Bowl XX archive)
Super Bowl XXXI: Desmond Howard stops the comeback
New England briefly led 14–10 in the first quarter, but Green Bay took a 27–14 advantage into halftime. Curtis Martin’s third-quarter touchdown run cut the deficit to 27–21. On the ensuing kickoff, Desmond Howard returned the ball 99 yards for a touchdown, and a two-point conversion established the final score. Drew Bledsoe threw four interceptions, while Howard became the first special-teams player named Super Bowl MVP. (Patriots’ Super Bowl XXXI archive)
Super Bowl XLII: The undefeated season ends at 18–1
New England entered the game 18–0 and moved ahead 14–10 on Randy Moss’s touchdown catch with 2:42 remaining. Eli Manning then led the Giants on the winning drive. David Tyree’s 32-yard helmet catch kept that possession alive, and Plaxico Burress caught the decisive 13-yard touchdown pass with 35 seconds left. The loss denied the Patriots an unbeaten championship season. (Patriots’ Super Bowl XLII archive)
Super Bowl XLVI: Another late Giants touchdown
Four years later, New England again lost a fourth-quarter lead to the Giants. The Patriots led 17–9 early in the third quarter but did not score again. Trailing 17–15, New York began its final scoring drive at its own 12-yard line. Manning’s sideline completion to Mario Manningham helped launch the 88-yard march, capped by Ahmad Bradshaw’s six-yard touchdown run with 57 seconds remaining. Brady’s final Hail Mary fell incomplete. (Patriots’ Super Bowl XLVI archive)
Super Bowl LII: Brady’s 505 yards are not enough
Tom Brady threw for 505 yards, but Philadelphia’s offense kept answering. New England took its only lead, 33–32, with 9:22 remaining; Zach Ertz’s touchdown reception put the Eagles back ahead with 2:21 left. Brandon Graham then strip-sacked Brady, and Derek Barnett recovered the fumble. Philadelphia added a field goal and held on for a 41–33 victory. (Patriots’ Super Bowl LII archive)
Super Bowl LX: Seattle shuts out the Patriots for three quarters
New England’s sixth defeat came against Seattle, with Drake Maye at quarterback. The Patriots trailed 12–0 after three quarters and 19–0 before scoring their first touchdown. Seattle sacked Maye six times and intercepted him twice, including Uchenna Nwosu’s fourth-quarter touchdown return. Kenneth Walker III rushed for 135 yards and earned MVP honors as the Seahawks won 29–13. (NFL game analysis; scoring summary)