In 1994, the City of St. Louis did not have a football team. Then-Patriots owner James Orthwein was intent on changing this.
It all started in 1988. After 28 seasons in St. Louis, the Cardinals franchise headed west and re-located to Phoenix to become the team that is now known as the Arizona Cardinals. This move left the biggest market in the State of Missouri without a professional football team.
In the same year, about 1,000 miles northeast of St. Louis, Billy Sullivan, owner of the New England Patriots, sold his team to entrepreneur Victor Kiam.