Kraft blasts Goodell for appeal decision
Robert Kraft’s on-again, off-again war with Roger Goodell and the NFL is back on.
The New England Patriots 74-year-old Jewish owner went rogue big-time Wednesday, which certainly provided great theater for those on hand at Gillette Stadium. It was reminiscent of his surprise pre-Super Bowl smackdown of the league after arriving in Arizona on the heels of Deflategate.
There was no mincing words. Kraft believes he got screwed when he put his reputation on the line with New England fans by standing down and choosing not to fight the league’s unprecedented punishment of his team.
He thought the sacrifice might help get something back from Commissioner Roger Goodell on Tom Brady’s appeal.
Only he saw no budging on the suspension. And, for good measure, he witnessed more hits to Brady’s reputation in the context of Goodell’s 20-page rejection. So you bet Kraft let it fly. “I first and foremost need to apologize to our fans, because I truly believe that what I did in May, given the actual evidence of this situation and the league’s history on discipline matters, would make it much easier for the league to exonerate Tom Brady. Unfortunately, I was wrong,” Kraft said. “The league’s handling of this entire process has been extremely frustrating and disconcerting.
“Tom Brady is a person of great integrity and is a great ambassador of the game, both on and off the field. Yet, for reasons that I cannot comprehend, there are those in the league office who are more determined to prove that they were right rather than admit any culpability of their own or take any responsibility for the initiation of a process and ensuing investigation that was flawed. I have come to the conclusion that this was never about doing what was fair and just.”
Strong words, to be sure. It was a rallying cry for the fan base, as well as all the personnel on his team on the eve of training camp.
So what’s the next step for the Patriots owner?
Stay true and don’t back down. Stand by those words. Don’t waffle and do a 180-like last time. Don’t be seen breaking bread, raising a glass and yukking it up with Goodell at social gatherings. Don’t support him at league meetings.
Kraft can’t be holding hands with the commissioner this time, after slaying him by association Wednesday.
Kraft, in fact, still has the ability to sue the NFL if he feels so inclined. It’s certainly something he should at least ponder, even though McCann has written it’s extremely hard for owners to successfully sue.
But at very least, given Kraft’s remarks, the line in the sand has been drawn, or rather, permanently drawn. His words can’t ring hollow. If anything, Kraft, who is one of the most powerful owners in the league, now knows who his friends truly are.
After what played out with Goodell’s decision to uphold Brady’s suspension, Kraft has apparently come to the realization the only people he owes anything to are his team, his fans and the players. He’s come to the realization too many others in the league have agendas against his Patriots.
Special teams ace Matthew Slater, who was aware of the owner’s remarks, referred to Kraft as the “captain of the ship.” Well, at this stage, it’s the people on the ship who matter most. Kraft is clearly rallying around his team. He took a lot of heat for rolling over, and not fighting the league a little more fervently. Some people thought of him as a turncoat.
Kraft knows he was burned. So now it’s an all-out rebellion.
“Back in May, I had to make a difficult decision that I now regret. I tried to do what I thought was right. I chose not to take legal action. I wanted to return the focus to football. I have been negotiating agreements on a global basis my entire life. I know that there are times when you have to give up important points of principle to achieve a greater good,” he said. “Once again, I want to apologize to the fans of the New England Patriots and [to] Tom Brady. I was wrong to put my faith in the league.”
So he’s gone rogue a second time. Only this time, he really can’t turn back.