<Li> Foxboro Stadium (1971--2001) </Li> <Li> Gillette Stadium (2002--present) </Li> <P> The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston region . The Patriots compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division . The team plays its home games at Gillette Stadium in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts, which is located 21 miles (34 km) southwest of downtown Boston, Massachusetts and 20 miles (32 km) northeast of downtown Providence, Rhode Island . The Patriots are also headquartered at Gillette Stadium . </P> <P> An original member of the American Football League (AFL), the Patriots joined the NFL in the 1970 merger of the two leagues . The team changed its name from the original Boston Patriots after relocating to Foxborough in 1971 . The Patriots played their home games at Foxboro Stadium from 1971 to 2001, then moved to Gillette Stadium at the start of the 2002 season . The Patriots' rivalry with the New York Jets is considered one of the most bitter rivalries in the NFL . </P>

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