Patriots Owner Still Inspired by Historic Super Bowl Comeback

New England Patriots team owner Robert Kraft is well-acquainted with the value of determination in professional sports, as well as in business.

Th ultra-prosperous Pats CEO — who was most-recently valued at a net worth of $11.8 billion — knows that one must believe in their ability to succeed, even when overcoming a seemingly insurmountable problem.

Therefore, it should come as little surprise that Kraft often cites his 2016 Patriots’ championship team as an inspiration for those feeling less-than optimistic about their future endeavors. In fact, Kraft recently shared such sentiments as a guest on ESPN’s "The Adam Schefter Podcast."

“When people [in my non-football businesses] believe something is impossible, I go '28-3,'" Kraft told Schefter, as reported by ESPN’s Mike Reiss.

With 2:12 left in the third quarter of Super Bowl LI, the Atlanta Falcons held a 28-3 lead over the Patriots — apparently all but assured of their first championship in league history. However, New England scored 25 unanswered points to tie the game at 28 as time expired in the fourth quarter. In overtime, quarterback Tom Brady and the Pats drove 75-yards, capped by running back James White stretching the ball across the goal line for the touchdown. With the amazing come-from-behind victory, the Patriots earned their fifth Super Bowl title in franchise history by defeating the Falcons 34-28."

To date, it remains the largest deficit overcome by the eventual winner in Super Bowl history.

While 28-3 has become a pseudo-commercial rallying cry for the team’s fanbase, Kraft continues to make it a metaphor for his success. Since purchasing the Pats from previous owner James Orthwein just over three decades ago, Kraft has overseen the most dynamic run of any NFL franchise during that time span. Under Kraft's ownership, the Pats have made the playoffs 21 times. They have won 19 AFC East titles, including 11 in a row from 2009 to 2019. They represented the AFC in the Super Bowl in 1996 (lost), 2001 (won), 2003 (won), 2004 (won), 2007 (lost), 2011 (lost), 2014 (won), 2016 (won), 2017 (lost) and 2018 (won). After having never won more than 11 games prior to Kraft's arrival, the Patriots have won at least 12 games 14 times, including finishing the 2007 regular season undefeated.

In addition to the Patriots, Kraft also owns the New England Revolution of Major League Soccer (MLS), which he founded in 1996, and the esport-based Boston Uprising, which Kraft founded in 2017. Outside of the sports realm, he is the chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Kraft Group, a diversified holding company with assets in paper and packaging, sports and entertainment and real estate development.

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