The direction of the Patriots franchise, once lost and nearly broken, changed dramatically 25 years ago Monday when Robert Kraft successfully purchased the team from James Busch Orthwein.



When Kraft swooped in to save the Patriots from relocating to St. Louis, he became the head of an organization that had just limped through five consecutive losing seasons and posted a 19-61 record from 1989 to 1993. Since then, the Patriots have transformed into perhaps the model franchise of American professional sports, leading the NFL in Super Bowl victories (five) and appearances (10, after clinching a berth in Super Bowl LIII), conference championship appearances (14), playoff victories (32), playoff appearances (20), division titles (18) and regular-season wins (279) over that period. For most of that time, the NFL’s premier dynasty has experienced historic levels of stability with head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady.



Kraft’s plan to purchase the...