PITTSBURGH — Lost in the shuffle of the Patriots’ latest miraculous fourth-quarter comeback was that New England won the AFC East title for the ninth straight year.
Patriots players were wearing AFC East champion hats and T-shirts in the locker room after their 27-24 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, and while it’s safely assumed they’ll win the title over the Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins and New York Jets each year, this one extends an already impressive streak.
The Rams previously held the record for consecutive divisional titles with seven from 1973 to 1979. The Patriots broke the record last season and extended it Sunday with their win.
The Patriots have won 14 AFC East titles in the last 15 years and 15 of the last 17. They’ve won the title in 15 of the 16 seasons quarterback Tom Brady has played at least 12 games. This is their 20th divisional title in franchise history.
