The greatest New England Patriots of all time

Who else did you think was going to be No. 1 on this list? Whether you know him as Tom Terrific, the Comeback Kid or simply Tom Brady, this is where he belongs. Brady is the GOAT. He went from a sixth-round pick to the greatest. The Brady-Belichick dynasty, which spanned 20 years, is the greatest dynasty in North American sports history. He won seven Super Bowls (six with the Patriots, one with the Buccaneers). Brady's comeback in Super Bowl LI was the crowning achievement of his career. 

John Hannah is one of the greatest guards of all time. He's the last guy you'd want coming at you as a pulling guard. I mean, just look at that picture. Does he look like a nice guy? Affectionately nicknamed Hog, he made nine Pro Bowls and paved the way for the franchise's first-ever Super Bowl appearance in 1985. He was enshrined into the Hall of Fame in 1991. 

Grogan played 16 seasons with the Patriots. He was a fifth-round pick who developed into a dynamic playmaker. The dual-threat quarterback rushed for 12 touchdowns in 1976 — an NFL record at the time — and led the league in passing touchdowns in 1979 with 28. Unfortunately, injuries derailed his career and he struggled to stay on the field. He retired as the most prolific passer in Patriots history before being surpassed by Brady. 

Mankins was a dominant guard during the Brady-Belichick dynasty. He could pull, pass block and run block. He went to seven Pro Bowls as Brady's bodyguard. Mankins' entire Patriots career was in between two dynasties (2005-2013). Oddly enough, the Pats won the Super Bowl the year before they drafted him and the year he left. Regardless, Mankins is a future Hall of Famer.

Offensive guard Armstrong spent 14 seasons with the Patriots. The six-time Pro Bowler is one of the best offensive lineman in franchise history. Armstrong was a true Iron Man, having started in 212 games. He retired in 2000, just one year before Brady took over and won the franchise's first Super Bowl.

Light was drafted in 2001 and was shoved into the starting role as a rookie. Now, he's recognized as the best left tackle of the Patriots dynasty. He protected Brady's blindside for many years, winning three Super Bowls along the way. Light made three Pro Bowls and retired in 2012. He has the rare distinction of blocking for Drew Brees at Purdue and Tom Brady in the NFL.

Tippett's 100 career sacks are the most in the Patriots' proud history. He won the co-Defensive Player of the Year award in 1985, went to five Pro Bowls and helped the Patriots reach the franchise's first Super Bowl. He spent 11 years with the Patriots, becoming one of the best pass rushers in the '80s. Tippett is now in the Hall of Fame. 

A four-time Pro Bowler, he was the leading receiver of the 1985 Patriots, the first team to go to the Super Bowl in franchise history. Morgan was one of the best deep threats in NFL history and averaged 19.2 yards per catch. An underrated Patriot, he eclipsed 10,000 receiving yards in his career.  

The greatest nose tackle of his era, Wilfork was the defensive centerpiece of multiple Super Bowl runs. He made five Pro Bowls and won two Super Bowls (2004, 2014). He's one of the only Patriots players to win a Super Bowl in two different decades, along with Tom Brady. One of the best big guys in league history, Wilfork was also dangerous with the ball in hands. 

Clayborn was in the prime of his career when he played for the Patriots. He was a shutdown corner who formed a legendary cornerback tandem with Mike Haynes in the 1980s. He was also a threat at kick returner. All in all, Clayborn made three Pro Bowls in his career. 

One of the only active players on this list, McCourty is currently on pace for 1,000 career tackles. The starting safety for three Super Bowl runs in the 2010s, McCourty has also been to three Pro Bowls. He won Super Bowl LIII with his brother, Jason McCourty. They became the first twins in NFL history to win the Super Bowl together. 

Bledsoe was the Patriots' franchise quarterback before Tom Brady. In the 2001 season, he got hurt thanks to a gruesome hit by Jets' linebacker Mo Lewis that caused a collapsed lung, internal bleeding and almost killed him. After the fact, Brady took over and began his rise to GOAT status.

Yes, Bledsoe's time with the Patriots is forgotten because of Brady's success. But he had a great career in his own right. He led the NFL in passing yards in just his second season and took the team to the Super Bowl in 1996.

The hard-hitting linebacker played 14 seasons with the Patriots. A three-time Pro Bowler, he helped the Patriots reach their first Super Bowl appearance in 1985. A respected player from the days of old, he started 171 games. He played until he was 36, a rarity at the linebacker position even by today's standards. His jersey number (57) was retired by the Patriots.

Cappelletti was the Swiss army knife of his era. He played multiple positions: kicker, wide receiver and defensive back. He might have been the only player in NFL history who could catch a touchdown pass and then kick the extra point. Cappelletti was the AFL MVP in 1964. When it was all said and done, he made 176 field goals and caught 42 touchdown passes. 

A New England sports legend, Bruschi was the starting linebacker for three Super Bowl runs. He played his entire career with the Patriots and always seemed to make a big play when his team needed it most. He won Comeback Player of the Year in 2005 after recovering from a stroke and returning to the field. Bruschi was as tough as it gets. He finished his career with 1,074 tackles. 

McGinest formed a great linebacker tandem with fellow Pats great Tedy Bruschi. The two made the Patriots the most feared defense in the league in the 2000s. McGinest was a perfect fit for Belichick's 3-4 defense. He was a relentless pass rusher who showed up when it mattered most. His 16 postseason career sacks are an NFL record. 

Another Hall of Famer from the Patriots dynasty, Law played the bulk of his career with the team. He was the shutdown cornerback of the Patriots during the early days of the dynasty. Law was tasked with covering The Greatest Show on Turf in Super Bowl XXXVI, Steve Smith in Super Bowl XXXVIII and Terrell Owens in Super Bowl XXXIX. That's as impressive as it gets. His resume took him straight to Canton.

Hall of Fame defensive lineman Richard Seymour was the top dog on Bill Belichick's defensive line. He was a game-wrecker who could stuff the run and get to the quarterback and was a big reason why the Patriots won three Super Bowls in the 2000s. After a great run in New England, Seymour finished his career with the Oakland Raiders.

Welker is the living embodiment of The Patriot Way. He went from an undrafted free agent to Brady's favorite target. He was a magnet for the ball, catching 100 passes or more on a regular basis. The scrappy receiver led the league in receptions three times and helped popularize the slot receiver position. He's one of the only players who can say he played with Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. 

Gronkowski was Tom Brady's go-to target his entire career. In just his second year in the NFL, Gronk broke the single-season record for touchdowns by a tight end with 17 touchdowns. A generational talent at the position, Gronk could block, catch, run and was clutch in the playoffs. He won three Super Bowls with the Patriots and won another in Tampa Bay with Brady and the Buccaneers. He was named to the NFL's All-Century team and will be in the Hall of Fame someday. 

And who could forget the Gronk Spike?

Hall of Fame cornerback Mike Haynes played seven seasons with the Patriots. He was great the minute he stepped on the field, winning Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1976. A nine-time Pro Bowler, he was an excellent cornerback. He was also a big play waiting to happen at punt returner. Eventually, he left New England and signed with the Raiders, winning a Super Bowl with the silver and black. 

Adams was a force in the trenches. He was a versatile lineman who could play defensive tackle or end — whatever his team needed him to do in order to win. He played 16 seasons in New England and had 80.5 career sacks. 

When Antwine played for the Patriots, they weren't even in New England. They were called the Boston Patriots and they played in the AFL. Antwine was an offensive lineman's worst nightmare. When it was all said and done, Antwine become one of the most decorated players in AFL history, becoming a six-time AFL All-Star. He was inducted into the New England Patriots Hall of Fame after his playing career. 

Dan Koppen was the center of it all during the early years of the Patriots dynasty. Literally. He was their starting center for much of the 2000s, winning back-to-back Super Bowls to start his career (2003, 2004). Koppen was as durable as they come. In the nine years he spent in New England, he started 120 games. 

Hall of Fame linebacker Nick Buoniconti was undersized for the pros (5-foot-11, 220 pounds), but he made up for it with toughness. He started his career with the Patriots before packing his bags and playing for the Miami Dolphins, where he enjoyed the best years of his career. Buoniconti won back-to-back Super Bowls in Miami under head coach Don Shula. One of those teams, the 1972 Dolphins, went undefeated and is considered the greatest team of all time.