The New England Patriots had the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft within their control.
All they had to do was what they have done a vast majority of the time this season: lose. But the Patriots couldn’t even do that when it mattered most.
The Patriots pulled off a 23-16 win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday at Gillette Stadium in the regular-season finale, securing the No. 4 selection in the draft instead of the top pick. The Bills helped the Patriots to their win, playing backups and even going to their third-string quarterback in the second half.