There was an interesting interaction that Robert Kraft had last week at the league meetings in Phoenix, one that I was sure would gain a lot of attention in New England.
After meeting with the assembled media, Kraft went on NFL Network with veteran reporter Judy Battista. He discussed his anti-hate initiative, his disappointment with last season, the positive changes this offseason and the coaching staff.
I was off to the side observing, in case Kraft said something interesting and wanted to ask him a follow-up question about Bill Belichick's remarks about cash spending that Kraft refuted. Couldn't quite hear everything, but figured it was airing live on NFL Network and I would later see the clip.
But I certainly heard the phrase "heir apparent" used by Kraft when talking about Jerod Mayo. I was pretty stunned. The end of Belichick's reign is kind of a third-rail topic around the Patriots. It's never spoken about. Belichick deflects questions about it. There's zero talk about succession plans from the Krafts. When Josh McDaniels returned after accepting the Colts job, people around the Patriots were very careful — even ran away from — declaring him the successor-in-waiting. Sources around McDaniels swore the subject was never broached, even if the Kraft were basically keeping their options open in case Belichick decided to bolt if the Krafts told the coach to keep Tom Brady.
In regards to Mayo, I wanted to follow up on that interview and perhaps write about it — heir apparent talk is news to me. Looked on Twitter and the internet for the interview. One problem: the Mayo section has yet to air (update: it was talked about by Battista around 1:15 p.m. today but the network again passed on using the footage).
NFL Network did write a piece on the Mayo quotes, but that's the only evidence that it exists. I wanted the full context of the interview. Had to reach out to a few people, but I finally tracked the video down ... and was told the full interview (which was taped, not live) was due to run sometime today on NFL Network. We'll see if that happens.
The circumstances are certainly odd, but it doesn't mean there was some agenda at play. It's just notable, not necessarily nefarious.
Anyways, here's the full transcript about football topics:
Battista: Let's talk a little bit about your football team. You you've made no secret about your disappointment and how last year went. A few changes already. Bill O'Brien, I think, is the headliner. How hopeful are you that you can turn the page and get back to winning?
Kraft: "I'm very hopeful. I think we were privileged to have a rookie quarterback whose first year, he got us to the playoffs. He played beautifully. I think we made it a little difficult on him last year with the system we had and there were a lot of challenges. And we've gotten some great free agents this year, we have a lot of draft picks and I'm excited about the upcoming year."
Battista: Are there more changes to come? Do you want to see more changes to come?
Kraft: "Well, I think the most important change has not come out of the draft. If you want to be good in this league, you have to draft well. And we have a number of picks this year. And we'll see what happens."
Battista: You kept Jerod Mayo and you've talked a lot about your respect for him and your admiration and the fact that you don't think there's any ceiling on his career that he will be a head coach. Do you view him as the heir apparent to Bill Belichick at the Patriots?
Kraft: "Well, he's definitely a strong candidate to be the heir apparent. But we have some other good people in our system too. So ... right now, we have a good head coach, and we're doing everything we can to support him and make sure we do everything we can to win."
Battista: How critical is it to you that you get back to the playoffs this year after missing ...
Kraft: "Very important and, you know, I think that's our objective. We've gone through four years where we haven't. We've been spoiled. But you know, after my family, my passion, the Patriots football team and winning football games, and that's a great turn on for me. And so, last year was tough. And I'm, I'm a fan first I sat in the stands for 34 years, dreaming if I ever had a chance what I would do and so we want to get back to winning as best we can."
Kraft's Mayo comments were significant to me, and I think play into the drama surrounding Kraft, Belichick and Mac Jones — including a "report" that just so happens to come when nothing is going on with the NFL calendar and some outlets are looking for clicks.
That was way further than what he said minutes before:
Battista: Jerod Mayo .... why was it important for you to have him back with the Patriots and what do you foresee in this future?
Kraft: "Jerod is an individual I think there's no ceiling on his ability to grow and how competent he is. We had the privilege of having him as a player and I saw how intense he was, and his leadership skills that he had on the field and then saw him leave us and go into private industry and learn the X's and O's of business and then come back to be a coach. And ... do that with us and good coaches get hired away. So I was happy we were able to sit with him and try to keep him here long term. And I'll do everything I can to try to make that happen."
______________________
That Kraft used the actual phrase heir apparent holds great significance. It shows that the ending for Belichick has at least been discussed by ownership, and at least with Mayo. That has not happened before.
NFL sources wondered what the Patriots said to keep Mayo from taking head coach interviews, and this would be it. There is some belief Mayo's agent told him not to take a "token" interview, but Carolina sources said they were very serious.
I will say, Battista using the phrase in the question lessens the impact slightly, but Kraft easily could have pivoted away from that. He did not. He turned right into it, even if Kraft tried to play coy with "we have some other good people in our system too."
Then he steered back into it ... "So ... right now ... we have a good head coach."
The tension between Kraft and Belichick was evident at the league meetings, both in their actions and words. It was far from a united front. I do think succession plans were a part of it, but it's really about the entire offseason that has been filled with Kraft hitting Belichick's knuckles with a ruler time and time again.
That has led to Belichick in his quotes (and his camp behind the scenes) leaving Jones, who is an obvious favorite of Kraft, hung out to dry for Belichick's mistakes last season. There's a report today that says Belichick has shopped Jones to at least four teams. I'm not linking to the report because no one else has confirmed it, and that outlet refused to credit me for the Patriots being out on Lamar Jackson despite reporting it some 15 hours before anyone else.
That report is dubious, at best. One of the named teams told me they were not aware of any trade talks about Jones league-wide and "certainly not with us."
Patriots sources said "that's news to us" and termed it a lot of smoke, no fire.
Belichick can protest and throw tantrums all he wants as people around the team — players, coaches and team executives — tell the truth about his decisions being to blame for last season, but there is virtually no scenario where I see Kraft allowing Belichick to trade Jones this year. He can huff and puff all he wants, but I think Kraft is ready — after losing on Belichick's Brady and Matt Patricia decisions — to call Belichick's bluff if cornered.
The heir apparent is waiting.