1983 New England Patriots season

1983 New England Patriots season
1983 New England Patriots season
Owner	Billy Sullivan
Head coach	Ron Meyer
General manager	Patrick Sullivan
Home field	Sullivan Stadium
Results
Record	8–8
Division place	T-2nd AFC East
Playoff finish	Did not qualify
Pro Bowlers	P Rich Camarillo; CB Raymond Clayborn; RB Tony Collins; G John Hannah; T Brian Holloway
AP All-Pros	G John Hannah (1st team) ; P Rich Camarillo (2nd team)
	← 1982; Patriots seasons; 1984 →;

The 1983 New England Patriots season was the franchise's 14th season in the National Football League and 24th overall. The Patriots played inconsistently all season, but at 8–7 had a chance for a playoff spot with a win in their final game of the season in Seattle. The Patriots would have problems with turnovers as rookie quarterback Tony Eason was swallowed up in a 24–6 loss to the Seahawks.

In the first week of December, in shocking conditions with sleet and snow,^[1] the Patriots’ game with wild card contender New Orleans Saints saw just one score set up by Ricky Smith returning the Saints’ initial kickoff to the 3-yard line. As of 2017, this game remains the most recent 7–0 result in NFL history,^[2] with only two games since seeing just one score,^[3] both a single field goal.^{[note 1]}

Staff[]

New England Patriots 1983 staff

Front Office

President – Billy Sullivan
Executive Vice President –
Vice President – Bucko Kilroy
General Manager – Patrick Sullivan
Director of Player Development – Dick Steinberg
Director of College Scouting –
Director of Pro Scouting – Bill McPeak

Head Coaches

Head Coach – Ron Meyer

Offensive Coaches

Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks – Lew Erber
Offensive Backfield – Cleve Bryant
Receivers –
Offensive Line – Bill Muir

Defensive Coaches

Defensive Coordinator – Rod Rust
Linebackers – Tommy Brasher
Linebackers – Steve Sidwell
Defensive Backs –

Special Teams Coaches

Special Teams/Tight Ends – Dante Scarnecchia

Strength and Conditioning

Strength and Conditioning –

Roster[]

**1983 New England Patriots roster**

	Quarterbacks 11 Tony Eason 14 Steve Grogan 19 Mike Kerrigan Running backs 33 Tony Collins 34 Mark van Eeghen FB 30 Mosi Tatupu 24 Robert Weathers 35 George Peoples Wide receivers 83 Cedric Jones 86 Stanley Morgan 82 Clarence Weathers 81 Stephen Starring 48 Darryal Wilson Tight ends 87 Lin Dawson 80 Brooks Williams 80 Don Hasselbeck 88 Derrick Ramsey		Offensive linemen 58 Pete Brock C 78 Art Kuehn C 75 Bob Cryder T 73 John Hannah G 76 Brian Holloway T 62 Dwight Wheeler T 60 Ron Wooten G 67 Steve Moore T 68 Darryl Haley T Defensive linemen 85 Julius Adams DE 77 Kenneth Sims DE 78 Marshall Harris NT 78 Ron Spears DE 65 Doug Rogers DE 72 Lester Williams DT 70 Luther Henson NT 74 Dave Browning DE 98 Dennis Owens NT 90 Toby Williams DE		Linebackers 55 Don Blackmon OLB 50 Larry McGrew ILB 57 Steve Nelson ILB 56 Andre Tippett OLB 53 Clayton Weishuhn 51 Brian Ingram 52 Johnny Rembert ILB 54 John Gillen 59 Tim Golden 95 Ed Reynolds ILB Defensive backs 26 Raymond Clayborn CB 38 Roland James SS 22 Keith Lee CB 42 Ronnie Lippett CB 31 Fred Marion FS 24 Rick Sanford FS 27 Ricky Smith CB 47 Paul Dombroski DB Special teams 3 Rich Camarillo P 1 John Smith K 2 Joaquin Zendejas K 5 Fred Steinfort K		Reserve lists Practice squad Rookies in italics

Regular season[]

Schedule[]

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Attendance
1	September 4, 1983	Baltimore Colts	L 29–23	45,526
2	September 11, 1983	at Miami Dolphins	L 34–24	59,343
3	September 18, 1983	New York Jets	W 23–13	43,182
4	September 25, 1983	at Pittsburgh Steelers	W 28–23	58,282
5	October 2, 1983	San Francisco 49ers	L 33–13	54,293
6	October 9, 1983	at Baltimore Colts	L 12–7	35,618
7	October 16, 1983	San Diego Chargers	W 37–21	59,016
8	October 23, 1983	at Buffalo Bills	W 31–0	60,424
9	October 30, 1983	at Atlanta Falcons	L 24–13	47,546
10	November 6, 1983	Buffalo Bills	W 21–7	42,604
11	November 13, 1983	Miami Dolphins	W 17–6	60,771
12	November 20, 1983	Cleveland Browns	L 30–0	40,987
13	November 27, 1983	at New York Jets	L 26–3	48,620
14	December 4, 1983	New Orleans Saints	W 7–0	24,579
15	December 11, 1983	at Los Angeles Rams	W 21–7	46,503
16	December 18, 1983	at Seattle Seahawks	L 24–6	59,688

Standings[]

AFC East
view talk	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
Miami Dolphins⁽²⁾	12	4	0	.750	6–2	9–3	389	250	W5
New England Patriots	8	8	0	.500	4–4	6–6	274	289	L1
Buffalo Bills	8	8	0	.500	4–4	7–5	283	351	L2
Baltimore Colts	7	9	0	.438	3–5	5–9	264	354	W1
New York Jets	7	9	0	.438	3–5	4–8	313	331	L2

Notes[]

^ These 3–0 scores occurred in 1993 when the Jets defeated the Redskins and in 2007 when the Steelers defeated the Dolphins.

References[]

^ ‘Kickoff Return Practices Pay Off as Patriots Slip Past Saints 7–0’; St. Petersburg Times, December 5, 1983, p. 5C
^ Pro Football Reference; Games with Final Score 7–0
^ Pro Football Reference; Games with Final Score 3–0

v t New England Patriots
Founded in 1960 Formerly the Boston Patriots (1960–1970) Based and headquartered in Foxborough, Massachusetts
Franchise	Franchise History Hall of Fame Patriot Place Seasons Players Coaches First-round draft picks Starting quarterbacks Strategy Broadcasters
Stadiums	Nickerson Field Fenway Park Alumni Stadium Harvard Stadium Foxboro Stadium Gillette Stadium
Culture	Billy Sullivan Robert Kraft Jonathan Kraft Pat Patriot Cheerleaders "I'm Shipping Up to Boston" "Crazy Train" "Your Love" Patriot Reign Family Guy "Patriot Games" "3 Acts of God" "Gronkowsbees" "This Is Our House" "Stunning and Brave" "Turd Burglars"
Lore	Snowplow Game St. Louis Stallions Brady–Belichick era Tuck Rule Game 2006 playoff game vs. San Diego Chargers 16–0 Spygate 2007 game vs. New York Giants Helmet Catch Butt Fumble Deflategate The Butler Pick Colts Catastrophe 28–3 Philly Special Miracle in Miami Brady's first game against the Patriots
Rivalries	Baltimore Ravens Buffalo Bills Denver Broncos Indianapolis Colts Miami Dolphins New York Giants New York Jets Pittsburgh Steelers Brady–Manning rivalry
Division championships (22)	1963 1978 1986 1996 1997 2001 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Conference championships (11)	1985 1996 2001 2003 2004 2007 2011 2014 2016 2017 2018
League championships (6)	2001 (XXXVI) 2003 (XXXVIII) 2004 (XXXIX) 2014 (XLIX) 2016 (LI) 2018 (LIII)
Retired numbers	20 40 56 57 73 78 79 89
Media	Broadcasters WBZ-FM Radio network Gil Santos Gino Cappelletti Bob Socci Scott Zolak
Current league affiliations	League: National Football League (1970–present) Conference: American Football Conference Division: East Division
Former league affiliation	League: American Football League (1960–1969)

v t New England Patriots seasons
Formerly the Boston Patriots (1960–1970)
1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Bold indicates AFL Championship or Super Bowl victory Italics indicates AFL Championship or Super Bowl appearance