NFL must hold Patriots’ Kraft to high standard
Robert Kraft will get his day in court while facing two misdemeanor charges of soliciting prostitution. But from the moment Jupiter, Florida, police identified the Patriots owner as part of a sting operation investigating possible human trafficking, it was apparent Kraft’s mere presence in the matter is already responsible for staining the NFL’s socalled “shield.”
Nearly three weeks ago, Kraft basked in the glory of yet another Super Bowl crown for the Patriots. Last weekend, he rolled with the ballers and rappers during NBA All-Star Weekend.
Now he’s the biggest name to be released so far by police, who declared Friday that they have video evidence that proves the Patriots owner, 77, twice paid for sexual acts.
No, it’s not good for the brand when the owner of the NFL’s most successful organization of this era attracts such scandalous attention, lining up in the news cycle on Friday, and likely for weeks beyond, with the likes of Jussie Smollett, R. Kelly and Kraft’s Oval Office pal, President Donald Trump.
Say it ain’t so, Bob.
Sure, Kraft is presumed innocent until proved guilty. We’ll see if the charges, which beside fines carry a maximum of 60 days in jail for a first offense, one year for a second offense, hold up in court.
Yet Kraft’s stellar reputation, linked to the image-conscious sports league that is more popular than any, instantly took a significant blow that threatens to become part of his legacy.
A spokesman for Kraft quickly responded as such: “We categorically deny that Mr. Kraft engaged in any illegal activity. Because it is a judicial matter, we are not commenting further.”
And there’s this statement from the league: “The NFL is aware of the ongoing law enforcement matter and will continue to monitor developments.”
Let’s remember, when it comes to NFL matters, there are two courts of law to consider: the jurisprudence of the land and Roger Goodell’s court.
The two are supposedly mutually exclusive yet they’re intertwined in the reality that Goodell’s credibility, with damage already inflicted on the league’s reputation, faces another challenge in how he handles the case of one of its most respected power brokers and one of his biggest personal supporters.
Goodell did some splendid dancing on behalf of his bosses, the owners, when it came to repeatedly defending the league in the recently settled collusion case stemming from the apparent blackballing of Colin Kaepernick.
Alternatively, Goodell dropped the hammer on Jim Irsay in 2014, suspending him for six games and fining him the maximum amount of $500,000 after the Colts owner pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated and was found to possess controlled substances.
And he stood his ground against Kraft and Patriots quarterback Tom Brady in the Deflategate case. Ordered an investigation into the workplace misconduct allegations that led to thenPanthers owner Jerry Richardson quickly selling the franchise. Went toeto-toe with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones in suspending Ezekiel Elliott for violating the conduct policy amid domestic violence allegations against the running back.
So Goodell’s track record on personal-conduct matters suggests he’ll take action against Kraft. Yet if he does, the key will be the swiftness and substance of any such move.
The NFL’s personal-conduct policy clearly states this much: “Ownership and club or league management have traditionally been held to a higher standard and will be subject to more significant discipline when violations of the Personal Conduct Policy occur.”
Now Goodell can define those words in real time. Can Kraft be placed on some version of the “commissioner’s exempt list” and removed from day-to-day involvement with the Patriots and NFL while he tries to legally clear his name?
That would represent a strong statement. After all, with the charges against Kraft coming from the law enforcement community the NFL embraces, this is not a he-said, she-said civil suit.
Yet I wonder if Kraft’s immense collateral equity, if you will, will play a role in how Goodell responds.
Multiple reports said that Kraft, after all, urged Trump to help seal the deal that allowed Canadian broadcasters to sell their own Super Bowl ads, which the NFL pursued for years to no avail.
He was also the owner who probably had the biggest influence in striking the labor deal in 2011 that ended the lockout, while his wife, Myra, was in the final stages of battling the ovarian cancer that took her life.
And when pondering the impact of a community-minded team like the Patriots, Kraft is some kind of legend, the former season ticketholder who saved the franchise from moving from the region, the whiz who hired Bill Belichick.
Kraft’s narrative, though, has suddenly expanded in the worst way.
It was strange to see a professional talking head on ESPN state at least a half-dozen times in a matter of minutes Friday how “uncomfortable” it was to discuss Kraft in this vein.
Something happened. Kraft is on full blast, like players, coaches and all sorts of public figures. It’s the world we live in. Unfortunate, but not “uncomfortable” to ponder that.
How about the comforting thought that Kraft needs to be held to a higher standard, and maybe for his own good, too.