Nobody is more synonymous with the New England Patriots’ dynasty than Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, the former of whom is an almost unanimous GOAT and the latter of whom was stunningly snubbed from first-ballot Hall of Fame honors. It makes sense: Belichick consistently schemed dominant defenses and became the winningest postseason head coach in league history while also serving as the team’s de facto General Manager, and Brady retired as the all-time career leader in completions, attempts, yards, touchdowns, first downs, game-winning drives, fourth-quarter comebacks, and Approximate Value, amassing more than 100,000 passing yards combined between the regular season and playoffs.
However, the Patriots’ dynasty — which could continue if they beat the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX on February 8 in San Francisco, Calif. — would be incomplete without Robert Kraft, the team’s owner. New England was worth $9 billion, per Forbes’ 2025 estimations, making it the seventh-most valuable sports franchise in the world and the fourth-most valuable in the NFL. Furthermore, its value had risen by 22% relative to the same point in 2024, though it dropped by one spot overall after the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers, previously thought to be worth less than the Patriots, were sold for $10 billion.
Who is Robert Kraft?
Kraft bought New England’s franchise in January 1994 for $172 million ($376 million in 2026 dollars), marking a major turning point for a franchise that had finished with a losing record in each of the previous five seasons and was considering a relocation. Kraft, a Boston-area businessman and CEO of the Kraft Group — best known for controlling investments in paper and packaging companies — had been a long-time season ticket holder before buying the stadium in 1988 and, eventually, the team. Across his tenure, the Patriots have never failed to sell out a home game. Kraft is also credited with helping expand the NFL’s media rights deals, which brought in financial windfalls for the league.
Until recently, New England has been relatively conservative with its spending, in part because Belichick — who Kraft agreed to acquire from the New York Jets for a first-round pick in 2000 — was known for negotiating below-market deals with free agents. In particular, while Kraft shelled out more than $200 million worth of contracts to Brady, he arguably could have made more elsewhere. The results speak for themselves: between the regular season and playoffs, Kraft’s Patriots have gone 358-175, won six Super Bowls and advanced to five others, including this season’s. Per Forbes’ Win-to-Player-Cost Ratio, New England scores just a 42 (58% fewer wins than average relative to the cost of its roster), but that estimate was based on the 2024 season, in which the Patriots went just 4-13.
Kraft’s team will have to overcome some long odds if it wants to win the seventh title in franchise history. New England is a 4.5-point underdog on DraftKings Sportsbook, with the point total set to 45.5. The Seahawks are -230 on the Moneyline, and the Patriots are +190.
