Best Massachusetts Sports Teams

Though we may not think of a place like Massachusetts when considering the most high-profile states, Massachusetts sports teams more than deliver when it comes to the sporting arena. Sports teams in Massachusetts have accounted for a whopping 38 world titles between the NFL, NHL, NBA, and MLB.

These titles include the Boston Celtics' 17 NBA championships, the New England Patriots' six Super Bowl victories, the Boston Red Sox's nine World Series titles, and the Boston Bruins' six Stanley Cup championships.

Best Massachusetts Sports Teams

Whether discussing football teams in Massachusetts or baseball teams in Massachusetts, it is hard to ignore the history and championship pedigree that these teams bring to the table. Let’s take a closer look at the various professional sports teams in Boston and what they have managed to accomplish.

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New England Patriots (NFL)

When it comes to Massachusetts sports teams, this is the team many think of. And given their dominance of the last 20 years or so, it is hard to argue. It is also hard to argue that, outside of Massachusetts, this may be the most hated team in professional sports.

The Patriots have recently completed what may be the greatest dynasty in the history of the National Football League. What makes that even more incredible is that the team had never won a championship prior to the 2001 season, oftentimes being seen as a laughing-stock franchise.

Scar scenes 📸

Best photos of the newest member of @TheHall: https://t.co/oecxWZBwWj pic.twitter.com/5AVC7g9Zyn
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) April 6, 2023

There was hope for something better with Drew Bledsoe in the 1990s, including a loss in the Super Bowl to the Green Bay Packers. But no one could have foreseen what would come with the drafting of Tom Brady in the 1999 NFL Draft.

Brady had one of the most improbable seasons ever, coming in after Bledsoe went down to injury to lead the franchise to its first Super Bowl title. They beat massive favorites in the St. Louis Rams, providing a huge upset on their way to victory.

What unfolded over the course of the next 20 years would be nothing short of incredible. During their run, they made the playoffs 19-straight times. They won the AFC East 17 times, including a run of 11-straight from 2009 to 2019. They made a ridiculous 13 appearances in the AFC Championship game, including eight-straight from 2011 to 2018. They also have the only undefeated regular season, running the table for 16 games in 2007.

Oh, they also have a whopping six Super Bowl championships during Brady’s run from 2001-2019. It would take an entire article to get into the sheer dominance of the Brady-led Patriots. But when you talk about Massachusetts sports teams, it is hard to argue that the recent Patriots run is the single greatest run in the history of modern sports teams.

Boston Bruins (NHL)

The Boston Bruins are one of the most historic franchises in the history of the National Hockey League. They were one of the Original Six teams part of the league’s creation. Not to mention the fact that their rivalry with fellow Original Six team, the Montreal Canadiens, was one of the hottest in league history.

The Bruins have not had the historical dominance that their rivals had. While Montreal has 24 Stanley Cup championships to their name, the Bruins have six. And though they had championships in 1929, 1939, and 1941, it is perhaps the 1970s that people think of when they think of Boston Bruins hockey.

During the 1970s, the team became known as the “big bad Bruins.” Led by the revolutionary Bobby Orr, the Bruins became a dominant force in the league. They captured championships in 1970 and 1972, propelled by the record-breaking and award-winning Orr as well as all-time great Phil Esposito.

The Bruins would undergo some tumultuous times throughout the 1980s and 1990s, largely due to questions about ownership and their tactics. For a long time, it was felt that that Bruins would never again achieve their status as one of the league’s pillars.

But things have changed for the better. The team slowly built its way back to contention through a combination of the draft and free agency. With the addition of defenseman Zdeno Chara, the team finally had what it needed to win. Chara would captain the team to its sixth Stanley Cup victory in 2011 and remained a pillar of the franchise for the better part of 15 years.

Though the team has not won a Stanley Cup since, they have remained contenders and one of the most consistent Massachusetts sports teams. The team has been to the playoffs each year since then, even losing in the Stanley Cup Finals to the Chicago Blackhawks.

Even this season, it is Stanley Cup or bust for one of the best professional sports teams in Boston. The team won the President’s Trophy as the top regular season team and remain serious favorites to win it all once again. When it comes to Massachusetts sports teams, you can’t get far into the list without mentioning the Boston Bruins.

Boston Celtics (NBA)

If it hasn’t been apparent by now that Massachusetts sports teams have been blessed, wait until you hear about the Celtics. For decades, you could not discuss professional sports teams in Massachusetts without discussing the green and white of the Celtics.

The Celtics are not only one of the most successful franchises in the history of the National Basketball Association, but sports in general. The franchise has 17 NBA titles to its name but that is just an overview of how dominant they have been.

Though basketball was far from what we know it to be today, the Celtics owned the league for roughly 15 years. From 1957 to 1969, the team won an incredible 11 of 13 NBA championships. Bill Russell would be the pilot of that historic run, creating a legacy that would put him among the greatest to ever play.

Boston, let's do this ☘️ #UnfinishedBusiness

Be there: https://t.co/onPKUv1Fud pic.twitter.com/kHtkTaHMqn
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 12, 2023

The Celtics would again return to dominance during the 1980s, creating a historic rivalry with the Los Angeles Lakers. During that time, the two would trade NBA Championships, with the Celtics winning another five.

There would also be the creation of one of the greatest individual rivalries in the history of the game between Boston’s Larry Bird and LA’s Magic Johnson.

The list of accolades would take too long to cover in one space. The Celtics set the record for the most consecutive NBA titles, winning eight during the aforementioned 13-year run. They also have 10 Most Valuable Player awards in the franchise, a record in that category as well.

Though there were down times in the 1990s and early 2000s, the team again found the promised land in 2008. They beat – you guessed it – the Lakers to win their 17th championship. And though there have been ups and downs since then, the Celtics are once again a premier franchise in the NBA.

When it comes to Massachusetts sports teams, you have to start with the Celtics. There are few examples of consistent championship pedigree quite like the Celtics. How many titles they manage to add with the current iteration of the team remains to be seen, but they are one of the odds-on favorites to walk away with championship #18.

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Boston Red Sox (MLB)

For nearly a century, the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs were synonymous. The two had become the loveable losers of Major League Baseball, popular franchises who seemed physically incapable of winning a World Series.

Even worse for the Red Sox, they seemed incapable of overcoming their biggest rival in the New York Yankees. The Yankees, meanwhile, had dominant runs throughout the decades and managed to capture more World Series titles than any other team.

And for years, the Red Sox seemed like the worst of the sprots teams in Massachusetts. Even in playoff appearances, disappointment following, including an epic collapse against the Yankees in the American League Championship Series in 2003.

But all of that changed beginning in 2004. It took a storybook-like comeback to make it reality, too. Falling behind to their bitter rivals 3-0 in the ALCS in 2004, it looked as though things were going according to plan once again. But the Red Sox slowly fought back, sending the series to a deciding seventh game in the unfriendly confines of the Bronx.

The Red Sox overcame the beast and slew the monster in epic fashion. They dominated the Yankees in that Game 7, finally overcoming their greatest challenger. A sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series would finally banish the demons of the previous 86 years.

Since then, the Red Sox have become royalty in the Major Leagues. They have since captured a trio of World Series Championships – 2007, 2013, and 2018. They are a destination for superstars from around the league, creating a juggernaut franchise in the process.

Red Sox fans had a long, tough run but it has more than paid off. How many more titles they win is uncertain but with the monkey off of their back, the potential for the future is unlimited.

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