In 1992, the New England Patriots changed ownership for the second time in a four-year span when James Busch Orthwein bought the franchise for $110 million. Under his leadership, it underwent drastic changes. Bill Parcells was brought out of retirement to become head coach, New England drafted Drew Bledsoe with the first overall pick in 1993, and the traditional red and white color scheme and logo were changed.
All those changes were not enough for Orthwein, though: he wanted the NFL to return to his hometown of St. Louis. With the Cardinals having left in 1988 and, surprisingly, no expansion franchise awarded to the city since (Carolina and Jacksonville won the bid in 1993), Orthwein and the Patriots were the most likely candidate to bring professional football back to the Gateway to the West.