1970 Boston Patriots season

Season of National Football League team the Boston Patriots November 2013 March 2026 Boston Patriots 1970 2–12 5th AFC East Clive Rush(quit, medical reasons; 1–6)John Mazur (interim, 1–6) George Sauer Billy Sullivan Harvard Stadium Did not qualify C Jon Morris None Patriots seasons 1971 (New England) Image:AFC-1970-Uniform-NE.PNG The 1970 Boston Patriots season was the franchise's first season in the National Football League and eleventh overall. They ended the season with a record of two wins and twelve losses, fifth (last) in the AFC East Division. This was the final season as the “Boston” Patriots, as they moved southwest to Foxborough, Massachusetts the next season and became the “New England” Patriots. The final season as Boston did not go as planned, as the Patriots struggled all season and finished 2–12, the worst record in the NFL. Home games in 1970 were played at Harvard Stadium, their fourth home venue and third in as many seasons. After taking the season opener at home from the Miami Dolphins, Boston lost nine in a row before beating the Buffalo Bills on the road. The season concluded with an embarrassing 45–7 loss to the Bengals in Cincinnati. Head coach Clive Rush, age 39, quit midway through the season because of medical reasons, with Boston's record at 1–6.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=oSIiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=S3QFAAAAIBAJ&pg=869%2C646789 The Day New London, Connecticut Associated Press Rush quits as Pats coach November 4, 1970 17https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=xpgrAAAAIBAJ&sjid=p_UFAAAAIBAJ&pg=7048%2C473228 Nashua Telegraph New Hampshire Associated Press Patriots select Mazur November 4, 1970 38https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=GwBYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=DPcDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1572%2C5782861 The Bulletin Bend, Oregon UPI Coach clarifies release; hands team resignation November 4, 1970 11 His replacement, offensive backfield coach John Mazur, did not do much better of a job, but he continued as head coach the next season. The Patriots scored the fewest points in the league in 1970 with 149, and allowed 361; they missed the playoffs for the seventh straight season. Despite being a Super Bowl quarterback, no NFL team made contact with 32-year-old Joe Kapp until after the start of the regular season.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=77BeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=pS8MAAAAIBAJ&pg=3762%2C164202 Lewiston Morning Tribune Idaho Associated Press Ex-player sees move to cool off Joe Kapp October 1, 1970 19 Prior to the 1969 season, the Minnesota Vikings had exercised the option clause of his contract, so Kapp had played the entire season without a new contract. It was unusual for teams to use the team's option and not to offer a new contract prior to a season. This dispute made him a free agent for the 1970 season, by the NFL's own rules. The Patriots signed him on October 2 to a four-year contract,https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=iAcRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4uADAAAAIBAJ&pg=1660%2C231662 Eugene Register-Guard Oregon Associated Press Patriots obtain Joe Kapp; terms being worked out October 2, 1970 3Bhttps://news.google.com/newspapers?id=__9XAAAAIBAJ&sjid=DPcDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4507%2C3510596 The Bulletin Bend, Oregon UPI Patriots sign Kapp October 2, 1970 7https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=8bBeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=pS8MAAAAIBAJ&pg=3398%2C631597 Lewiston Morning Tribune Idaho Associated Press Kapp says 'We'll be a winner' after signing with Patriots October 3, 1970 10 making him the highest paid player in the league. The Patriots had to give up strong safety John Charles and a first-round draft pick in 1972 (used to select Stanford linebacker Jeff Siemon).https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=9iYxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0gEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5403%2C651172 Toledo Blade Ohio Associated Press Kapp predicts Patriots are going to be winners October 3, 1970 20 Kapp's first appearance was on October 11 at Kansas City, relieving starter Mike Taliaferro in the third quarter of a 23–10 loss to the team which manhandled Kapp and the Vikings in the Super Bowl nine months prior.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ek4yAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Y-YFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5757%2C5095747 Lawrence Daily Journal-World Kansas Associated Press Chiefs still bother Kapp; Patriots shattered, 23-10 October 12, 1970 15https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-rBeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=pS8MAAAAIBAJ&pg=2139%2C2443772 Lewiston Morning Tribune Idaho Associated Press Kansas City stops Boston Pats, 23-10 October 12, 1970 8 November losses vs. the Buffalo Bills (45–10) and St. Louis Cardinals (31–0) marked the last time the Patriots were beaten by 30 or more points in consecutive games until 2023. The Vikings paid Kapp back in full in week 13, rolling to a 35–14 victory in the Patriots' final game at Harvard and in Boston prior to the move to Foxborough. The game had an unusual noon EST (11 a.m. CST) kickoff to avoid ending the game in darkness, as Harvard Stadium did not have permanent light standards and would not until 2006.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=LiIiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=fHQFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1072%2C2668315 The Day New Haven, Connecticut Associated Press O'Hara Dave Student beats master in Vikings-Pats game December 14, 1970 28 The Patriots' poor record was the worst in the 26-team league, but gave them the first overall selection in the 1971 NFL draft. They took quarterback Jim Plunkett, the Heisman Trophy winner from Stanford, upset winner of the Rose Bowl. Offseason NFL draft 1970 NFL draft 1970 Boston Patriots 1 4 Phil Olsen Defensive tackle Utah State Injured prior to the season 3 56 Mike Ballou Linebacker UCLA yes 4 83 Eddie Ray Running back LSU yes 5 107 Bob Olson Linebacker Notre Dame 7 160 Odell Lawson Running back Langston yes 9 212 Dennis Wirgowski Defensive end Purdue yes 10 239 Henry Brown Wide receiver Missouri 11 264 Dennis Bramlett Tackle UTEP 12 291 Greg Roero Defensive tackle New Mexico Highlands 13 316 Ronnie Shelley Defensive back Troy State 14 343 Garvie Craw Running back Michigan 15 368 Kent Schoolfield Wide receiver Florida A&M 16 395 Otis McDaniel Defensive end Tuskegee 17 420 Joe Killingsworth Wide receiver Oklahoma no nohttps://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/nwe/1970_draft.htm 1970 Boston Patriots Draftees Pro Football Reference January 17, 2022 Staff 1970 Boston Patriots President – Billy Sullivan General manager – George Sauer Director of player personnel – Rommie Loudd Head coach – Clive Rush Interim head coach/offense – John Mazur Backs/receivers – Jerry Stoltz Offensive line – Bruce Beatty Defense – Bill Elias Defensive line – Jesse Richardson Linebackers – John Meyer Source: Roster 1970 Boston Patriots 11 Joe Kapp 17 Mike Taliaferro 22 Sid Blanks 30 Carl Garrett 24 Bob Gladieux 32 Odell Lawson y 35 Jim Nance 84 Gayle Knief 33 Bill Rademacher 34 Ron Sellers 40 Bake Turner 82 Tom Beer 86 Barry Brown American football 67 Gary Bugenhagen G 66 Angelo Loukas G 64 Mike Montler G/T 56 Jon Morris C 77 Tom Neville offensive tackle T 60 Len St. Jean G 65 Houston Antwine DT 88 Ron Berger DE 74 Jim Lee Hunt DT 76 Rex Mirich DT 85 Dennis Wirgowski y DE 71 Mel Witt DE 51 Mike Ballou OLB 57 John Bramlett OLB 52 Ed Philpott OLB 54 Marty Schottenheimer MLB 53 Fred Whittingham MLB 55 J. R. Williamson OLB 27 Randy Beverly CB 41 Larry Carwell CB 23 Daryl Johnson CB 44 John Outlaw CB 26 Clarence Scott defensive back SS 42 Don Webb American football FS 20 Gino Cappelletti K  7 Charlie Gogolak K 21 Tom Janik P 50 Jim Cheyunski LB IR 73 Tom Funchess T IR 47 Bill Johnson no CB IR 87 Ike Lassiter DE IR 70 Otis McDaniel y no DE IR 28 Art McMahon S IR 72 Phil Olsen American football y DT IR 58 Bob Olson y LB IR 75 Ed Toner defensive tackle DT IR 14 Brian Dowling American football y QB 81 Charley Frazier WR 15 Kim Hammond QB 36 Eddie Ray y RB Source: Regular season Schedule 1970 NFL season Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Recap 1 September 20 Miami Dolphins W 27–14 1–0 Harvard Stadium 32,607 Recap 2 September 27 New York Jets L 21–31 1–1 Harvard Stadium 36,040 Recap 3 October 4 Baltimore Colts L 6–14 1–2 Harvard Stadium 38,235 Recap 4 October 11 at Kansas City Chiefs L 10–23 1–3 Municipal Stadium 50,698 Recap 5 October 18 New York Giants L 0–16 1–4 Harvard Stadium 39,091 Recap 6 October 25 at Baltimore Colts L 3–27 1–5 Memorial Stadium 60,240 Recap 7 November 1 Buffalo Bills L 10–45 1–6 Harvard Stadium 31,148 Recap 8 November 8 at St. Louis Cardinals L 0–31 1–7 Busch Memorial Stadium 46,466 Recap 9 November 15 San Diego Chargers L 14–16 1–8 Harvard Stadium 30,597 Recap 10 November 22 at New York Jets L 3–17 1–9 Shea Stadium 61,822 Recap 11 November 29 at Buffalo Bills W 14–10 2–9 War Memorial Stadium 31,427 Recap 12 December 6 at Miami Dolphins L 20–37 2–10 Miami Orange Bowl 51,032 Recap 13 December 13 Minnesota Vikings L 14–35 2–11 Harvard Stadium 37,819 Recap 14 December 20 at Cincinnati Bengals L 7–45 2–12 Riverfront Stadium 60,157 Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. Standings References 2 Category:New England Patriots seasons Boston Patriots Patriots Boston Patriots Category:Harvard Stadium