Patriots: 2025 Patriots Join 2016 Patriots as Sole Teams With Zero All-Pros After 14-Win Seasons

The New England Patriots have found an unexpected source of motivation ahead of their first home playoff game since 2019: the release of the Associated Press All-Pro teams. Despite finishing the season with an impressive 14–3 record, the Patriots did not have a single player selected to the AP first-team All-Pro roster.

This is an extremely rare occurrence. Research shows that it is only the second time since the All-Pro teams began in 1940 that a team with at least 14 wins failed to place anyone on the first team. The only other team to experience this was the 2016 Patriots, who finished 14–2.

That 2016 team went on to make history by winning Super Bowl LI, including their famous comeback from a 28–3 deficit against the Atlanta Falcons. In that season, Tom Brady was passed over for first-team All-Pro in favor of Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, yet the Patriots still ended the year as champions.

This year’s Patriots could use the same kind of perceived snub as added motivation as they prepare to face the Los Angeles Chargers in the playoffs. The lack of All-Pro recognition may give them an extra edge as they try to follow a familiar, championship-winning path.