The 1997 season was the New England Patriots' 28th season in the National Football League (NFL) and the 38th overall. They finished the season with a 10–6 record and a division title before losing in the playoffs to the Pittsburgh Steelers. This was the last season in which New England won the division title without Tom Brady or Bill Belichick until 2025.

In January, when the Patriots were preparing to face the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XXXI, it was suspected head coach Bill Parcells was looking to move to another team after the game where he would have more say over personnel matters. In the 1996 NFL draft, Parcells' relationship with owner Robert Kraft soured when Kraft selected wide receiver Terry Glenn. After the Patriots' loss in Super Bowl XXXI, Parcells resigned from the Patriots, using the phrase "If they want you to cook the dinner, at least they ought to let you shop for some of the groceries." Due to an earlier renegotiation that had eliminated the 1997 season from Parcells' contract, NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue ruled Parcells could not be a head coach for another team in 1997. Parcells instead moved to the New York Jets as a "consultant", taking assistant head coach Bill Belichick with him to be the Jets' head coach; Kraft called this a "transparent farce" and accused the Jets of tampering with Parcells. The NFL ruled in the Patriots' favor and the Patriots received third and fourth-round picks in the 1997 NFL draft, a second-round pick in the 1998 NFL draft, and a first-round pick in the 1999 NFL draft in compensation for allowing Parcells to become the Jets' head coach.

Taking Parcells' place with the Patriots was Pete Carroll, who had coincidentally been the Jets' head coach in 1994. The Patriots began the season 5–1 but then stumbled to a 6–5 record. They rebounded to finish 10–6 and first in the AFC East for the second straight season. With the third seed in the AFC playoffs, the Patriots defeated the Miami Dolphins 17–3 in the Wild Card Game but were defeated by the Pittsburgh Steelers, 7–6, on the road the next week.

1997 NFL draft

+ 1997 New England Patriots Draft Selections Round Overall Player Position College1 29 Chris Canty Cornerback Kansas State2 59 Brandon Mitchell Defensive tackle Texas A&M3 61 Sedrick Shaw Running back Iowa3 89 Chris Carter Safety Texas4 97 Damon Denson Offensive guard Michigan4 125 Ed Ellis Offensive tackle Buffalo5 159 Vernon Crawford Linebacker Florida State6 192 Tony Gaiter Wide receiver Miami (FL)7 230 Scott Rehberg Offensive guard Central Michigan

Staff 1997 New England Patriots staff Front office Chairman/CEO – Robert Kraft Vice-president – Jonathan Kraft Vice president of business operations – Andy Wasynczuk Vice president of player personnel – Bobby Grier Director of college scouting – Larry Cook Director of pro scouting – Dave Uyrus

Head coaches Head coach – Pete Carroll Assistant head coach/quarterbacks – Carl Smith

Offensive coaches Offensive coordinator – Larry Kennan Running backs – Kirby Wilson Wide receivers – Steve Walters Tight ends – Jeff Davidson Offensive line – Paul Boudreau Defensive coaches Defensive coordinator – Steve Sidwell Defensive line – Ray Hamilton Linebackers – Bo Pelini Defensive backs – Ron Lynn Defensive assistant – Andre Patterson

Special teams coaches Special teams – Dante Scarnecchia

Strength and conditioning Strength and conditioning – Johnny Parker

Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance 1 August 31 San Diego Chargers W 41–7 1–0 Foxboro Stadium 60,190 2 September 7 at Indianapolis Colts W 31–6 2–0 RCA Dome 53,632 3 September 14 New York Jets W 27–24 3–0 Foxboro Stadium 60,072 4 September 21 Chicago Bears W 31–3 4–0 Foxboro Stadium 59,873 5 Bye 6 October 6 at Denver Broncos L 13–34 4–1 Mile High Stadium 75,821 7 October 12 Buffalo Bills W 33–6 5–1 Foxboro Stadium 59,802 8 October 19 at New York Jets L 19–24 5–2 Giants Stadium 71,061 9 October 27 Green Bay Packers L 10–28 5–3 Foxboro Stadium 59,972 10 November 2 at Minnesota Vikings L 18–23 5–4 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 62,917 11 November 9 at Buffalo Bills W 31–10 6–4 Rich Stadium 65,783 12 November 16 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 7–27 6–5 Houlihan's Stadium 70,479 13 November 23 Miami Dolphins W 27–24 7–5 Foxboro Stadium 59,002 14 November 30 Indianapolis Colts W 20–17 8–5 Foxboro Stadium 58,507 15 December 7 at Jacksonville Jaguars W 26–20 9–5 Alltel Stadium 73,446 16 December 13 Pittsburgh Steelers L 21–24 9–6 Foxboro Stadium 60,013 17 December 22 at Miami Dolphins W 14–12 10–6 Pro Player Stadium 74,379 Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Postseason

Schedule Round Date Opponent (Seed) Result Record Venue Attendance Wild Card December 28 Miami Dolphins (6) W 17–3 1–0 Foxboro Stadium 60,041 Divisional at Pittsburgh Steelers (2) L 6–7 1–1 Three Rivers Stadium 61,228

Standings

Notable games August 31 v San Diego Chargers: The Pete Carroll era of the Patriots started with a bang as Drew Bledsoe threw for 340 yards and four touchdowns in a 41–7 runaway. Stan Humphries managed a touchdown throw but was pulled in the fourth quarter for Jim Everett; Everett was intercepted and Willie Clay ran back a 53-yard touchdown.

September 14 v New York Jets:

The first game against former Patriots coach Bill Parcells came on Sunday Night Football with the Patriots 2–0 and the Jets 1–1. The game became a grinder in which the lead tied or changed seven times. Drew Bledsoe threw touchdowns to Ben Coates and Lovett Purnell but threw two picks (one returned by Mo Lewis for a touchdown) and was limited to just 162 passing yards. His Jets counterpart Neil O'Donnell ran in one touchdown and threw another to Keyshawn Johnson that tied the game in the fourth, but was sacked seven times; the Jets also coughed up three fumbles. Curtis Martin's running game erupted to 199 yards and a touchdown, but the Patriots faced Jets kicker John Hall in the final sixteen seconds with the game tied at 24. Hall's field goal try was blocked and in overtime the Patriots drove down field and Adam Vinatieri nailed a 34-yard field goal for the 27–24 Patriots win.

Monday Night Football October 6 v Denver Broncos:

The first game between the last two unbeaten NFL teams since 1973 after the Buccaneers lost on Sunday, the Broncos won for the tenth straight time over the Patriots, 34–13. Despite throwing two interceptions and being limited to just 192 passing yards, John Elway ran in a touchdown and Terrell Davis rushed for 171 yards and two scores.

October 19 @ New York Jets: The 5–1 Patriots fell to Parcells' Jets 24–19 as the Jets outscored the Patriots 21–14 in the second half. Neil O'Donnell was flagged for intentional grounding in the endzone for a Patriots safety, then was pulled for Glenn Foley; Foley threw for 200 yards and a touchdown.

Final roster New England Patriots 1997 final roster Quarterbacks Drew Bledsoe Scott Zolak

Running backs Keith Byars FB Derrick Cullors Sam Gash FB Marrio Grier FB Curtis Martin Dave Meggett KR Sedrick Shaw R

Wide receivers Vincent Brisby Troy Brown Tony Gaiter R Terry Glenn Shawn Jefferson Dietrich Jells

Tight ends Ben Coates Lovett Purnell Offensive linemen Bruce Armstrong T Damon Denson G R Ed Ellis T R Mike Gisler C Heath Irwin G Max Lane G Zefross Moss T Scott Rehberg T R Todd Rucci G Dave Wohlabaugh C

Defensive linemen Chad Eaton DT Mike Jones DE/DT Willie McGinest DE Brandon Mitchell DE R Chris Sullivan DE Henry Thomas DT Mark Wheeler DT Devin Wyman DT Linebackers Tedy Bruschi OLB Todd Collins OLB Vernon Crawford OLB R Ted Johnson ILB Marty Moore ILB Bernard Russ OLB UR Chris Slade OLB

Defensive backs Chris Canty CB R Chris Carter FS R Willie Clay FS Jimmy Hitchcock CB Steve Israel CB Ty Law CB Lawyer Milloy SS Larry Whigham FS

Special teams Tom Tupa P Danny Villa LS Adam Vinatieri K Reserve lists Mike Bartrum TE/LS (IR) Ferric Collons DE (IR) Steve Lofton CB (IR)

Practice squad

Anthony Ladd WR UR Juan Porter C/G UR Mark Tate CB UR Shawn Turner WR UR

53 active, 3 inactive, 5 practice squad

Notations R: 1997 Rookie UR: 1997 Undrafted Rookie

Notes

References

External links Season page on Pro Football Reference