The New England Patriots, popularly known arsenic the Patriots, person been palmy implicit the years, with six Super Bowl wins. The squad has retired eight numbers, with the archetypal being number 89 in 1968 and the latest being number 12 in 2024. Patriots' retired numbers and the players' names basal ablaze successful the Patriots Hall of Fame.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- The New England Patriots are a nonrecreational American shot squad from Boston. It was primitively known arsenic the Boston Patriots.
- The Patriots person retired 8 numbers, honouring them successful the Patriots Hall of Fame.
- Tom Brady's jersey fig 12 was the latest to beryllium retired, successful a ceremonial held successful 2024.
- Bob Dee of jersey fig 89 was the archetypal to beryllium retired successful 1968.
List of Patriots' retired numbers
The New England Patriots are 1 of the NFL teams that person enjoyed precocious occurrence acknowledgment to their talented players. The squad retired their jersey numbers to honour these players, ensuring they would ne'er beryllium utilized again. Below is simply a database of Patriots' retired numbers and the communicative down the legends.
Player | Number | Position | Retired |
Bob Dee | 89 | Defensive extremity (DE) | 1968 |
Jim Lee Hunt | 79 | Defensive tackle (DC) | 1971 |
Gino Cappelletti | 20 | Flanker (FL)/kicker (K) | 1971 |
Steve Nelson | 57 | Linebacker (LB) | 1988 |
John Hannah | 73 | Guard (G) | 1990 |
Mike Haynes | 40 | Cornerback (CB) | 1996 |
Bruce Armstrong | 78 | Tackle (T) | 2001 |
Tom Brady | 12 | Quarterback (QB) | 2024 |
Tom Brady (No. 12)

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- Full name: Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr.
- Date of birth: 3 August 1977
- Age: 47 years aged (as of April 2025)
- Place of birth: San Mateo, California, USA
- Teams: New England Patriots, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tom Brady is an American retired nonrecreational shot quarterback, spokesman, and entrepreneur. He played successful the National Football League (NFL) for 23 seasons, with his archetypal 20 seasons with the New England Patriots. Tom Brady played successful 10 Super Bowls, winning 7 of them. The erstwhile NFL subordinate moved to the Tampa Bay Bucs successful 2020.
The backmost retired and was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame successful 2024. At the ceremony, Patriots proprietor Robert Kraft announced that Brady's No. 12 would ne'er beryllium worn again successful honour of the erstwhile Patriots player. Before retiring, helium won galore accolades, including 5 Super Bowl MVP awards and NFL MVP awards.
Bruce Armstrong (No. 78)

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- Full name: Bruce Charles Armstrong
- Date of birth: 7 September 1965
- Age: 59 years aged (as of April 2025)
- Place of birth: Miami, Florida, USA
- Team: New England Patriots
Bruce Armstrong is simply a erstwhile nonrecreational shot subordinate from the United States. He played for the New England Patriots arsenic an violative tackle for 14 seasons from 1987 to 2000. The athlete was picked successful the archetypal circular of the 1987 NFL Draft, close aft attending the University of Louisville.
Bruce Armstrong holds the squad grounds with 212 games played, starting successful each of them. The subordinate was selected and indicted for the Patriots Hall of Fame successful 2001. Robert Kraft of the New England Patriots erstwhile described him arsenic 1 of the classiest players to ever deterioration the Patriots jersey. He said:
He is 1 of the classiest players ever to play successful a Patriots uniform. Furthermore, helium represents the benignant of bequest we'd similar to physique here, and the benignant of radical we'd similar to person connected this team.Mike Haynes (No. 40)

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- Full name: Michael James Haynes
- Date of birth: 1 July 1953
- Age: 71 years aged (as of April 2025)
- Place of birth: Denison, Texas, USA
- Teams: New England Patriots, Los Angeles Raiders
Mike Haynes is 1 of the fastest NFL players and top cornerbacks of each time. He played for the New England Patriots and the Los Angeles Raiders. Haynes was picked by the New England Patriots successful the archetypal enactment of the 1976 NFL Draft.
Haynes was inducted into some the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame successful 2000 and 1997 respectively. He retired successful 1989 and was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame in 1994 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame successful 1997.
John Hannah (No. 73)

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- Full name: John Allen Hannah
- Date of birth: 4 April 1951
- Age: 73 years aged (as of April 2025)
- Place of birth: Canton, Georgia, USA
- Team: New England Patriots
John Allen Hannah, besides known arsenic Hog, is simply a erstwhile NFL subordinate who played arsenic a defender for the New England Patriots for 13 seasons. Before joining the NFL, helium played collegiate shot for the Alabama Crimson Tide. Hannah earned 2 All-American honours successful assemblage and was selected by the Patriots successful the 1973 NFL draft.
John Allen was named the champion violative lineman of each clip by Sports Illustrated mag successful 1981. The sports property has worn 9 Pro Bowls and 7 first-team All-Pro selections.
Hannah was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame successful 1999. Additionally, helium was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame successful 1991 and became 1 of the inductees of the New England Patriots Hall of Fame the aforesaid year.
Steve Nelson (No. 57)

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- Full name: Steven Lee Nelson
- Date of birth: 26 April 1951
- Age: 73 years aged (as of April 2025)
- Place of birth: Farmington, Minnesota, USA
- Team: New England Patriots
Steve Nelson is simply a retired NFL subordinate who played linebacker for the Patriots betwixt 1974 and 1987. He played assemblage shot for North Dakota State and was drafted into the NFL successful 1974.
Steve Nelson retired successful 1987 aft playing 14 seasons for the Patriots. He past served arsenic an adjunct manager for the Patriots earlier becoming the caput manager astatine Curry College successful Milton, Massachusetts, from 1998 to 2005.
The Minnesota autochthonal linebacker's fig 57 was retired by the Patriots a twelvemonth aft helium retired successful 1988. He was indicted successful the Patriots Hall of Fame successful 1993. Nelson lives successful Massachusetts.
Gino Cappelletti (No. 20)

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- Full name: Gino Raymond Michael Cappelletti
- Date of birth: 26 March 1934
- Age: 88 years aged (as of May 2022)
- Place of birth: Keewatin, Minnesota, USA
- Teams: Sarnia Imperials, Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers, Sarnia Golden Bears, Boston Patriots
Gino Cappelletti, besides known arsenic the Duke oregon Mr. Patriot, was a talented American nonrecreational shot player. He began his shot vocation playing for the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Cappelletti was the wide receiver and kicker for the Patriots from 1960 to 1970. He won galore accolades, including the All-Star successful the American Football League and the 1964 AFL Most Valuable Player Award.
Gino Cappelletti retired aft the 1970 play and became a subordinate of the Patriots Hall of Fame successful 1992. After retiring, helium became a sports broadcaster successful the booth. Gino passed distant connected 12 May 2022 astatine 88 years old.
Jim Lee Hunt (No. 79)

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- Full name: Jim Lee Hunt
- Date of birth: 5 October 1938
- Age: 37 years aged (as of November 1975)
- Place of birth: Atlanta, Texas, USA
- Team: Boston Patriots
Jim Lee, besides known arsenic the Earthquake, was an NFL subordinate who played antiaircraft tackle for the Boston Patriots. He was a four-time AFL All-Star and was named the 1967 champion pass-rushing tackle successful the AFL.
Before joining the NFL, helium played college football for the Prairie View A&M Panthers. He was besides portion of the assemblage way squad owed to his velocity and earthy athleticism. Hunt was drafted successful the 16th circular of the 1960 Draft.
Earthquake was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame successful 1993 and 3 years aboriginal his jersey number, 79, was retired. He passed distant connected 22 November 1975 astatine the property of 37 years old.
Bob Dee (No. 89)

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- Full name: Robert Henry Dee
- Date of birth: 18 May 1933
- Age: 45 years aged (as of April 1979)
- Place of birth: Quincy, Massachusetts, USA
- Teams: Washington Redskins, Boston Patriots
Bob Dee was the archetypal Patriots subordinate to person his fig retired. The NFL subordinate performed exemplarily during his 8 seasons with the team. Dee was regarded arsenic the "Iron Man" of the AFL, scoring the archetypal touchdown successful a preseason crippled against Buffalo.
Dee played antiaircraft extremity and was voted a four-time American Football League (AFL) All-Star. He made the All-AFL 2nd squad 4 times and was portion of the Boston Patriots All-1960s Team. The nonrecreational jock retired successful 1968 and was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame successful 1993.
Will the Patriots discontinue fig 12?
The New England Patriots already retired Tom Brady's fig 12. He was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame connected 12 June 2024.
Will the Patriots discontinue fig 87?
Rob Gronkowski's fig 87 has not been retired yet. However, fans person speculated that determination is simply a anticipation of the fig being retired. Despite the sentiments, fig 87 has been re-issued to different players, including Tre Nixon and Devin Ross.
Do the Patriots person immoderate numbers retired?
Yes, determination are 8 retired numbers arsenic of 2025. Players whose numbers person been retired include: Tom Brady 12, Gino Cappelletti 20, Mike Haynes 40, Steve Nelson 57, John Hannah 73, Bruce Armstrong 78, Jim Lee Hunt 79, and Bob Dee 89.
The New England Patriots' retired numbers are 12, 20, 40, 57, 73, 78, 79, and 89. The 8 players were indicted into the Patriot's Hall of Fame to honour their contributions to the team.
Legit.ng published an nonfiction astir the heaviest NFL players. The National Football League (NFL) comprises immoderate of the world's strongest, and heaviest athletes. Muscle is an important carnal property to beryllium chosen arsenic a player. The mean tallness should beryllium 6'2" and measurement astir 245 lbs.
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Source: Legit.ng