Since its opening in 2002, Gillette Stadium has been home to one of the NFL’s most successful franchises, the New England Patriots, who have made over a dozen playoff appearances during that time. The Patriots have been part of the New England sports landscape since 1960, when the team first played at Nickerson Field. Over the following decade, the franchise also played home games at Fenway Park, Alumni Stadium, and Harvard Stadium before moving into Foxboro Stadium in 1971.  Foxboro Stadium, which seated more than 60,000 fans, often resembled a large college football venue rather than a modern NFL facility. By the 1990s, it lacked many of the premium amenities found in newer stadiums across the league. The Patriots nearly left Foxborough for St. Louis after James Orthwein purchased the franchise in 1992. However, in 1994, Robert Kraft—who already owned Foxboro Stadium—purchased the team, ensuring the Patriots would remain in New England.

By the mid-1990s, the NFL was experiencing a surge in stadium construction, and the Patriots began advocating for a new facility. Proposed sites included South Boston, approximately 22 miles from Foxborough, and Providence, Rhode Island, but neither plan came to fruition. In 1998, the Patriots and the state of Connecticut reached an agreement to build a stadium in Hartford. However, the plan ultimately collapsed due to site complications and pressure from the NFL. After several referendums failed to gain approval, Kraft decided to privately finance a new stadium for the team. Construction began on March 24, 2000.

Like many modern NFL venues, the Patriots sold the naming rights to their new stadium. Initially, CMGI acquired the naming rights, but after the company encountered financial difficulties, Gillette Company purchased them in August 2002, giving the stadium its current name.

The Patriots played their first game at Gillette Stadium on September 9, 2002. The facility represented a significant upgrade over Foxboro Stadium. Gillette Stadium seats approximately 65,000 fans, with the majority of seating arranged along both sidelines across three tiers. The lower seating bowl nearly encircles the field, while the club and upper decks are located primarily along the sidelines. All seats are angled toward the 50-yard line to provide excellent sightlines for fans.

The stadium includes 89 luxury suites and more than 6,000 club seats. Two large video scoreboards are located beyond each end zone, and a 120,000-square-foot Patriots Club lounge operates year-round. Architectural elements such as a lighthouse and pedestrian bridge evoke a distinctly New England theme within Patriot Place Plaza. These features are located near the North Portal Plaza, a primary entrance for fans entering the stadium. Adjacent to the venue is The Hall at Patriot Place, a 30,000-square-foot interactive museum dedicated to the history of the Patriots.

Since its opening, Gillette Stadium has undergone several upgrades. The stadium originally featured a natural grass playing surface, but due to maintenance issues it was replaced with FieldTurf in 2006. Prior to the 2015 season, the Patriots added the Optum Field Lounge in the south end zone. This upscale field-level lounge offers fans a close-up view of the action and required the removal of approximately 2,000 seats.

In 2021, a new videoboard was installed in the south end zone along with improvements to lounge areas and concessions. Later that year, the Patriots announced a $225 million renovation project funded entirely by the team. The centerpiece of the upgrade was the installation of the largest outdoor videoboard in sports—a 370-foot-long by 60-foot-high curved HD display replacing the existing board in the north end zone. The project also included the construction of a new lighthouse rising 218 feet tall with a 360-degree observation deck, along with expanded plazas and enhanced hospitality spaces throughout the stadium. The improvements were completed in time for the 2023 season.

In addition to hosting Patriots games, Gillette Stadium is home to the New England Revolution of Major League Soccer. Notably, the stadium hosted the 2016 NHL Winter Classic between the Boston Bruins and the Montreal Canadiens.