The head coach of the Patriots, who has parted ways with the team after 24 years, won six Super Bowls with a taciturn approach that rewarded performance over potential.
For most of its existence, New England was a terrible team. But a two-decade run of success turned it into one of the most recognizable sports brands in the world.
Football was introduced to the country by U.S. soldiers after World War II, but interests soared when the N.F.L. played its first regular-season game there last year.