Before Super Bowl XXXVI in New Orleans, the New England Patriots refused to have their players introduced one by one. Coach Bill Belichick wanted the entire team introduced together. League officials argued against it, but they gave in. On February 3, 2002, the Patriots ran onto the field as one group and then beat the St. Louis Rams.
The Patriots kept the team introduction for 23 years. On October 26, 2025, the new coach Mike Vrabel brought back individual introductions for the offensive starters. “Just feel like these guys put a lot into it and would like to recognize them individually,” he said.