Bob Kraft

Robert Kraft
Born	Robert Kenneth Kraft 6/5/1941
Birthplace	Brookline, Massachusetts, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Businessman, sports team owner
Known for	Owner of the New England Patriots
Spouse(s)	Template:Marriage Template:Marriage

Robert Kenneth Kraft (born June 5, 1941) is an American businessman and sports executive who is the owner of the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). Through the Kraft Group, his privately held conglomerate, he also holds ownership stakes in the New England Revolution of Major League Soccer and various other business ventures spanning paper and packaging, real estate development, and private equity. Kraft purchased the Patriots in 1994, and under his ownership the franchise has become one of the most successful and valuable in professional sports, winning six Super Bowl championships. In September 2025, the Patriots were valued at approximately $9 billion when Kraft agreed to sell a minority stake in the team — the first time he had parted with any ownership share since acquiring the franchise more than three decades earlier. His tenure as owner has been defined by a long and productive — though ultimately contentious — partnership with head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady, a combination that produced an unprecedented dynasty in NFL history. Beyond football, Kraft has been a prominent figure in American philanthropy and public life.

Early Life

Robert Kenneth Kraft was born on June 5, 1941, in Brookline, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston. He grew up in a Jewish family and developed an early affinity for football, becoming a devoted fan of the Boston Patriots (later renamed the New England Patriots) from the team's founding as a charter member of the American Football League in 1960. Kraft attended games at various stadiums the team called home during its early years, including alumni fields at Boston University and Harvard Stadium. His childhood in the Boston area instilled in him a deep connection to the region and its sports culture, a connection that would later inform his decision to purchase the Patriots and keep the team in New England.

Education

Kraft attended Columbia University in New York City, where he earned a bachelor's degree. He subsequently received a Master of Business Administration degree from Harvard Business School. His education at these two prestigious institutions provided him with the business acumen and network of contacts that would prove instrumental in building his business empire and, eventually, in acquiring an NFL franchise.

Career

Business Ventures

After completing his education, Kraft entered the business world, eventually building the Kraft Group into a diversified private holding company. The conglomerate's interests have spanned paper and packaging manufacturing, real estate development, and private equity investments. The Kraft Group became one of the largest privately held companies in New England, providing Kraft with the financial resources to pursue his ambition of owning a professional sports franchise.

Acquisition of the New England Patriots

Kraft's path to owning the Patriots was a deliberate, multi-step process that began in 1985 when he purchased a parcel of land adjacent to the team's home stadium, then known as Sullivan Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. In 1988, he acquired the stadium lease, giving him significant leverage over the team's operations. Finally, in 1994, Kraft purchased the New England Patriots outright, reportedly paying $172 million — at the time the highest price ever paid for an NFL franchise. The purchase was widely seen as a turning point for a franchise that had been mired in mediocrity and plagued by financial instability and threats of relocation.

Kraft's decision to keep the team in New England, rather than pursue potentially more lucrative relocation options, cemented his relationship with the region's fan base. He invested heavily in the franchise's infrastructure, eventually overseeing the construction of Gillette Stadium, a state-of-the-art facility that opened in 2002 and was financed largely with private funds.

The Patriots Dynasty

The defining chapter of Kraft's ownership came with the hiring of head coach Bill Belichick in 2000 and the emergence of quarterback Tom Brady. Together, this trio — often referred to as the "Patriots triumvirate" — built one of the most dominant dynasties in the history of North American professional sports. The Patriots appeared in nine Super Bowls under Kraft's ownership and won six of them, establishing the franchise as the preeminent NFL team of the early 21st century.

The partnership between Kraft and Belichick, which lasted from 2000 through the 2023 season, was central to the franchise's success. Belichick was given wide-ranging authority over football operations, and Kraft largely supported his coach's personnel decisions, even when they proved controversial. The relationship, however, grew strained in its later years. Following Brady's departure to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after the 2019 season, the Patriots struggled to remain competitive, and tensions between Kraft and Belichick reportedly intensified.

In December 2025, after Belichick had left the Patriots and been named a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the former coach issued a public statement that briefly acknowledged Kraft's role in his career, a gesture noted by observers as significant given the ongoing friction between the two men. The complicated nature of their relationship was further underscored by reports that Kraft had once used blunt and unflattering language to characterize Belichick's personal judgment, an assessment that some insiders suggested was validated by subsequent events in Belichick's post-Patriots life.

Post-Belichick Era and Return to Contention

Following Belichick's departure, Kraft moved to reshape the franchise's coaching and front office leadership. He hired Mike Vrabel as head coach, pairing him with young quarterback Drake Maye, signaling the start of a new era for the Patriots. The results were swift: by early 2026, the Patriots had returned to the Super Bowl, a development that commentators noted as a testament to Kraft's organizational stewardship and willingness to make bold changes. The rapid turnaround drew favorable comparisons to other NFL owners who had failed to rebuild successfully after the departure of key personnel, with commentators citing Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones — who had not won a championship in 30 years — as a contrasting example.

Sale of Minority Stake

In September 2025, it was reported that Kraft had agreed to sell a minority stake in the New England Patriots at a valuation of approximately $9 billion. The transaction marked the first time Kraft had sold any portion of the team since acquiring it more than 30 years earlier. The $9 billion valuation represented a dramatic increase from the $172 million Kraft paid for the franchise in 1994, underscoring the extraordinary appreciation in value that NFL franchises have experienced during his tenure as an owner. The sale was interpreted by industry observers as a strategic move related to estate planning and succession, ensuring the long-term stability of the franchise's ownership structure while the Kraft family retained majority control.

New England Revolution

In addition to the Patriots, Kraft owns the New England Revolution, a founding member of Major League Soccer (MLS). Kraft was one of the original group of investors who helped launch MLS in the mid-1990s, and the Revolution have played at Gillette Stadium alongside the Patriots. While the Revolution have reached the MLS Cup final multiple times, the club has not won the championship, a source of frustration for some supporters.

Vladimir Putin Super Bowl Ring Incident

One of the more unusual episodes in Kraft's public life involved Russian President Vladimir Putin. During a meeting in 2005, Kraft showed Putin one of his Super Bowl rings. According to Kraft's account, Putin tried the ring on, admired it, and then pocketed it rather than returning it. The incident became a minor diplomatic matter. Kraft initially stated that the ring had been a gift, reportedly under pressure from the Bush administration, which did not want to create a diplomatic incident with Russia. Kraft later acknowledged publicly that the ring had in fact been taken without his consent and that he wanted it back. The ring, valued at an estimated $25,000, was reportedly placed in the Kremlin library. The story has been widely recounted as an illustration of both Putin's brazenness and the complex dynamics between American business figures and foreign heads of state.

Personal Life

Kraft married Myra Hiatt in 1963. The couple remained married until Myra's death from cancer in 2011. Myra Kraft was known for her extensive philanthropic work, and her death was a significant personal loss for Kraft, who has spoken publicly about her influence on his life and charitable activities.

In 2022, Kraft married Dr. Dana Blumberg, an ophthalmologist. As of early 2026, Kraft, then 84, and Blumberg, then 52, continued to maintain an active public presence together, including attending high-profile events such as pre-Super Bowl festivities.

Kraft has four sons from his marriage to Myra. His son Jonathan Kraft serves as president of the Kraft Group and has played an increasingly prominent role in the day-to-day operations of both the Patriots and the family's broader business interests.

Kraft is Jewish and has been active in Jewish communal organizations and causes throughout his life. He has been a significant donor to institutions in Israel and to organizations combating antisemitism.

Legal Issues

In 2019, Kraft was charged with two counts of soliciting prostitution in connection with a sting operation at a massage parlor in Jupiter, Florida. Kraft pleaded not guilty. The charges were ultimately dropped after a Florida court ruled that the video evidence obtained by police had been collected in violation of Kraft's constitutional rights. Kraft issued a public apology for his conduct despite the dismissal of the charges.

Recognition

Kraft's contributions to professional sports and philanthropy have earned him numerous honors. As the owner of a franchise that won six Super Bowl championships, he is among the most successful owners in NFL history. He has been recognized by various organizations for his philanthropic efforts, particularly in the areas of education, healthcare, and combating antisemitism.

The Kraft family's philanthropic activities have included substantial donations to Columbia University, Harvard Business School, and numerous hospitals and medical research institutions in the Boston area. Following Myra Kraft's death, the family established initiatives in her memory to continue her charitable legacy.

Kraft has also received recognition for his role in growing Major League Soccer as one of the league's founding investors and team owners. His willingness to invest in soccer at a time when the sport's commercial viability in the United States was uncertain contributed to the league's establishment and early survival.

Legacy

Robert Kraft's legacy is defined primarily by his transformation of the New England Patriots from a struggling, financially unstable franchise into one of the most successful and valuable teams in professional sports. When he purchased the team in 1994, the Patriots were among the NFL's least valuable franchises. By 2025, the team was valued at approximately $9 billion, reflecting both the broader appreciation of NFL franchise values and Kraft's stewardship of the organization.

His ability to attract and retain coaching and playing talent — most notably Bill Belichick and Tom Brady — and to provide them with the organizational support and stability necessary to sustain long-term success is central to his reputation as an NFL owner. The six Super Bowl championships won during his ownership place the Patriots alongside the most storied franchises in league history.

Kraft's willingness to invest in the next generation of Patriots leadership following the departures of both Brady and Belichick, and the franchise's subsequent return to Super Bowl contention with Vrabel and Maye, further reinforced his standing as an owner capable of adapting to changing circumstances and rebuilding effectively.

Beyond football, Kraft's role as a founding investor in Major League Soccer and his extensive philanthropic activities have extended his influence beyond the NFL. His charitable work, particularly in the fields of education and healthcare, and his advocacy against antisemitism have been notable aspects of his public life.

The 2019 solicitation charges, though ultimately dismissed, represented a personal and public embarrassment that briefly overshadowed his professional accomplishments. However, the legal outcome and Kraft's subsequent public activities have largely shifted attention back to his business and sports endeavors.