Record 9–7 Playoff finish did not qualify Owner Billy Sullivan Home field Foxboro Stadium | Division place 2nd AFC East Start date 1984 General manager Patrick Sullivan Head coaches Ron Meyer, Raymond Berry | |
Pro Bowlers G John Hannah
T Brian Holloway
LB Steve Nelson
LB Andre Tippett AP All-Pros G John Hannah (2nd team) Similar 1983 New England Patriots s, 1972 New England Patriots s, 1965 Boston Patriots s, 1968 Boston Patriots s, 1989 New England Patriots s | ||
The 1984 New England Patriots season was the team's 35th, and 25th in the National Football League. The Patriots finished the season with a record of nine wins and seven losses, and finished second in the AFC East Division.
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Head coach Ron Meyer, who had coached the Patriots for the previous two seasons, was fired halfway through the season. Meyer had angered several of his players with public criticism. After a 44–22 loss to Miami in Week 8, Meyer fired popular defensive coordinator Rod Rust; Meyer himself was fired by Patriots management shortly thereafter.
The Patriots went outside the organization to hire Raymond Berry, who had been New England's receivers coach from 1978 to 1981 under coaches Chuck Fairbanks and Ron Erhardt. Berry had been working in the private sector in Medfield, Massachusetts, when the Patriots called him to replace Meyer. Berry's first order of business was to immediately rehire Rust.
Under Berry's leadership, the Patriots won four of their last eight games. Berry's importance to the team was reflected less in his initial win-loss record than in the respect he immediately earned in the locker room – "Raymond Berry earned more respect in one day than Ron Meyer earned in three years", according to running back Tony Collins.
Week 1
The Patriots behind two Steve Grogan touchdown throws raced to a 21–0 lead and withstood a second-half Bills comeback to win 21–17.
Week 2
Grogan had a miserable day as he was intercepted four times; William Judson ran back one for a 60-yard touchdown. The Dolphins behind two Dan Marino scores won 28–7.
Week 3
The first home game of the season ended Grogan's season as he failed to complete any of his four passes and Kenny Easley ran back his interception for a 25-yard touchdown. The Seahawks scored three touchdowns marred by a missed PAT. Tony Eason replaced Grogan with six minutes left in the first half and in the final minute ran in a 25-yard touchdown. From there three Patriots backs rushed for 189 yards and three touchdowns and Eason tossed scores to Derrick Ramsey and Irving Fryar while Dave Krieg of the Seahawks was bullied into two interceptions. The 38–23 win was the largest comeback in Patriots history until 2013.
Week 9
Raymond Berry's first game as Patriots' head coach.