NFL Dynasty Killers and You: What Every New England Patriots Fan Needs to Know

NFL Dynasties

1960’s: Green Bay Packers

• Titles: Five (including first two Super Bowls)
• Length of Dynasty: Seven Seasons (1961 – 67)
• Coach/QB : Vince Lombardi/Bart  Starr

1970’s: Pittsburgh Steelers

• Titles: Four Super Bowls (in six years)
• Length of Dynasty: Six Seasons (1974 – 79)
• Coach/QB : Chuck Noll/Terry Bradshaw

1980’s: San Francisco 49ers

• Titles: Four Super Bowls
• Length of Dynasty:  Nine Seasons (1981 – 89)
• Coach/QB: Bill Walsh/Joe Montana

1990’s: Dallas Cowboys

• Titles: Three Super Bowls (in four years)
• Length of Dynasty: Four Seasons (1992 – 95)
• Coach/QB: Jimmy Johnson/Troy Aikman

2000’s: New England Patriots

• Titles: Three Super Bowls at least (in four years)
• Length of Dynasty: Seven Seasons (2001 - ????)
• Coach/QB: Bill Belichick/Tom Brady

Love them or hate them, there’s no denying that the New England Patriots are the NFL’s dynasty of the new millennium and personally, I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. 

But like all good things, the Patriots dynasty will one day come to an end and Pats fans everywhere will be reminded once again of what it’s like when your team sucks.

When we look back at the dynasties of decades past we find there are three factors that figure the most in their downfalls.  Despite what many Pats-haters may believe, someone figuring out a “blueprint” like “put relentless pressure on their quarterback” is not one.

Here they are in descending order of importance:

Injuries – A back injury prevented Joe Montana from at least one, and probably two more Super Bowls.  He missed all of the 1991 season and nearly all of 1992.   That opened the door for Steve Young but was the end of the original 49ers’ dynasty.

The Steelers also experienced a rash of injuries in 1980 after their fourth title and never rebounded.

The Patriots were lucky last year with Rosevelt Colvin being the only major loss during the season. There’s nothing that can derail a dynasty more abruptly than an unexpected injury to a key player. I’m going to stop even writing about it to prevent any kind of jinx to my team.

Core Group Departures – The 49ers and Cowboys dynasties were the guiltiest of this. Both let players get away who formed the core of their respective dynasties. Ronnie Lott and Roger Craig both were allowed to walk south to the Los Angeles Raiders and the 49ers were never the same.

Jerry Jones decided to let  Alvin Harper, James Washington, Mark Stepnoski, and Jim Jeffcoat leave via free agency in 1995 after their third, and final Super Bowl. That was the end for them.

Troy Aikman hating Barry Switzer had something to do with it too.

Some were surprised to see Tedy Bruschi resign for two more years but I was excited, and not just because I wear his jersey on game days. He is the heart and soul of this Patriots’ dynasty, even if some say he’s lost a step.

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