Thursday 7 September 2017 13:30, UK
New England owner Robert Kraft says "checking egos at the front door" has been the secret to the Patriots' remarkable run under his stewardship.
The Patriots' fifth Super Bowl victory was their most spectacular triumph of all as they overturned a 28-3 deficit to beat the Atlanta Falcons 34-28 in a thriller at the NRG Stadium in Houston.
A former season ticket holder, Kraft paid a record-fee to buy the Patriots in 1994. The 76-year-old says his belief in continuity and building around the right people has been key to New England's success since he became the team's owner.
"I'm pretty proud over these last 23 years we've had 23 home play-off games and won 20 and gone to seven Super Bowls and won five," he told Sky Sports News ahead of the Patriots' opener against the Kansas City Chiefs, live on Sky Sports Action.
"The key is to get everyone to check their ego at the front door and put the team first. And when you do that, great things happen if they really check their ego at the front door and come together.
"Anything I do in life I try to associate with good people, people of good character. If I'm lucky enough to find those people, I work very hard on continuity.
"When we bought the team we tried to structure a culture that everyone could buy into because people work for money but they want to feel like they are connected to something bigger than themselves [rather than] just earning a pay cheque.
"This is a community asset that we are custodians of. Once you find good people you try and find continuity and I am really pleased that my head coach [Bill Belichick] and myself have been together for 18 years - that is unheard of.
"In the 23 years [of owning the Patriots], I have hired two coaches and I think the other three coaches in our division have hired 28 coaches, so it's just keeping things together when you've got something good going.
"Sometimes egos can get in the way and difficult issues arise but when you have something good you have got to remain firm to keep it going."
Watch the first game of the new NFL season as reigning Super Bowl champions New England Patriots host Kansas City Chiefs in Thursday Night Football, live on Sky Sports Action from 1.20am.
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