The Dynasty
The Inside Story of the NFL's Most Successful and Controversial Franchise
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * Now a 10-part docuseries on Apple TV+
From the #1 New York Times bestselling coauthor of Tiger Woods comes the definitive inside story of the New England Patriots—the greatest sports dynasty of the 21st century.
It’s easy to forget that the New England Patriots were once the laughingstock of the NFL, a nearly bankrupt team that had never won a championship and was on the brink of moving to St. Louis. Everything changed in 1994, when Robert Kraft acquired the franchise and soon brought on board head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady. Since then, the Patriots have become a juggernaut, making ten trips to the Super Bowl, winning six of them, and emerging as one of the most valuable sports franchises in the world.
How was the Patriots dynasty built? And how did it last for two decades? In The Dynasty, acclaimed journalist Jeff Benedict provides richly reported answers in a sweeping account based on exclusive interviews with more than two hundred insiders—including team executives, coaches, players, players’ wives, team doctors, lawyers, and more—as well as never-before-seen recordings, documents, and electronic communications.
Through his exhaustive research, Benedict uncovers surprising new details about the inner workings of a team notorious for its secrecy. He puts us in the room as Robert Kraft outmaneuvers a legion of lawyers and investors to buy the team. We listen in on the phone call when the greatest trade ever made—Bill Belichick for a first-round draft choice—is negotiated. And we look over the shoulder of forty-year-old Tom Brady as a surgeon operates on his throwing hand on the eve of the AFC Championship Game in 2018.
But the portrait that emerges in The Dynasty is more rewarding than new details alone. By tracing the team’s epic run through the perspectives of Kraft, Belichick, and Brady—each of whom was interviewed for the book—the author provides a wealth of new insight into the complex human beings most responsible for the Patriots’ success.
The result is an intimate portrait that captures the human drama of the dynasty’s three key characters while also revealing the secrets behind their success. “The Dynasty is…[a] masterpiece…It’s a relationship book, it’s a football book, it’s a business book…you’ll just eat up these stories” (Colin Cowherd).
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
With the precision of a star receiver, Jeff Benedict tells the story of the New England Patriots’ path to success. We get to discover how, under the stewardship of owner Robert Kraft, head coach Bill Belichick, and quarterback Tom Brady, the team completed a run that included six Super Bowls between 2001 and 2019. Each season is accounted for here, from the improbable upset of the St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI to defeating the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII. And while the team’s low points aren’t his primary focus, Benedict doesn’t shy away from them either—like Spygate, Deflategate, and, more seriously, the murder conviction of tight end Aaron Hernandez. Whether you rooted for or against the Pats, there’s no arguing that The Dynasty is one of the most fascinating sports stories in recent history.
Customer Reviews
Phenomenal
A masterpiece.
BETTER THAN AVERAGE
A total team effort of all three men. A Dynasty like that will not happen again. I did not like the politics being interjected into the book. Benedict needs to keep his political views in his head, and not include them in his books in the future.
The Patriots dynasty was a team effort
This superbly written book navigates through the complex relationships between all participants, on and off of the field.