PALM BEACH, Fla. — Robert Kraft spoke with reporters this morning at the league meetings and while mostly the 83-year-old Patriots owner played the hits, there were a few key takeaways, including that Bill Parcells has accepted Kraft's offer to go into the Patriots' Hall of Fame this year:
- Prominent former owners Ralph Wilson (83) and Dan Rooney (84) stepped aside around Kraft's age (he'll be 84 in June), so I asked him if there had been any discussions about that with him. I wrote last year at this time that it should happen.
It looked like it was a foreign concept to him, like it's never been talked about. His answer:
“Are you telling me what [to do]? First of all, I think I’m 35. And you all will laugh when I say it. You know, in life, look, I was a little kid sitting on one of those benches dreaming about owning this team and bringing a winning culture here. I said after my family, this team and this foundation to combat hate and anti-Semitism, those are my passions. As far as succession, succession is there. My eldest son, Jonathan, has been part of every key decision I’ve made for the last 30-odd years and is a full partner in everything. He stays out of the limelight. But we have a plan that is in place for all of our businesses. Were you suggesting something that? You know, that’s a bias. Sometimes with age, you have experience. But let’s see what happens this year. Let’s see what happens over the next 2-3 years.”
- "The last two years have been really, really difficult; the worst two years of our ownership. And so we tried to create a foundation of a new beginning, and I'm pretty excited about what we have. I've been told to calm down, but I really am (excited). What's going on, the chemistry in the building, reaching out and signing a lot of, hopefully, good free agents. We have a foundation.
"I hope that we're never drafting No. 4 again in my lifetime. But today, it's a great opportunity, and in the end, if you want to build a team that is going to win and sustain winning, you have to have good drafts. Unfortunately, over the last few years, we have not done a good job in that area. I think the organization has reshuffled how we do things, on priorities and how we value it. And I hope we start to see the impact of that over the next couple of years."
- Kraft doesn't think this is another rock-bottom rebuild with Mike Vrabel here.
"’ll get chastised for saying it, but I think we’re ahead of that. I think we have some real talent in the locker room. I think we’re privileged now to have a head coach that has learning curve experience and has really come in and created a great atmosphere."
A successful season would be in the playoffs, Kraft said.
- He has higher expectations than he did a year ago. "I think that's fair, yes," he said.
- On spending/team needs:
"Just to correct something. There’s never been a case in 31 years where people have come to us to spend and we’ve said no. never one time. We’ve always been willing to spend. When we do it, we want people to feel they’ve done their homework and feel confident that we’re doing it and improving. Most people would say given coach’s experience and what we’ve done on defense and his knowledge of that area and the personnel that we’ve improved greatly and I think that’s so. I know I don’t know, but I’m excited. We’ve always had a strong defense and I think that any of us that are fans of the team know we want to try to strengthen the offense a little on the line, in the receiver area, maybe a speed running back. But I’m talking as a fan. I have confidence that this group is all on the same page and the most important thing is everyone is putting team first. In this business, you can’t have little groupings who have their own ideas. The fact that it’s starting fresh and everyone expressed how they feel, it’s been very exciting for me."
- On the poor NFLPA grades, and they will be updating the plane travel that got an F:
"It was eye-opening for me. ... We want to do everything we can to make this the feeling that this is one of the best places you can go. I think we had that for quite a while in terms of winning and people wanted to come here. And then the last couple of years changed it. And now it’s management and ownership’s job to do everything they can to create the culture that this is a place where people want to come to. I really believe it’s happening. Now we’ve got to produce on the field and get people to want to be in this environment. We’re trying to do the different things we can to make that happen. ...
"First of all, let me just correct, there are no ashtrays on the plane. That goes back 30 years ago. I don’t know, anyone gone on a plane with ashtrays? There’s no ashtrays. And I’m willing to take a bet with anyone who says that. Think, we bought those planes to make it easier for our team to travel. It was very hard pre-Covid to get planes. And we’re in the process of trying to update and improve that. We want everything we do to be top-of-the-heap and first class. Rather than having to go out and charter and everything, we wanted control. We let the planes used by different charities. They’ve done a lot of good. But we do need an upgrade.”
- Parcells going into the Patriots Hall of Fame:
"I decided the end of last week to make a call to Bill Parcells and I asked him if we would be kind enough to accept going into our Patriot Hall of Fame. He had been a finalist for five years. Going back to your question [Greg], while both of us are alive in our late 30s, I thought it would be great given what he’s done for the team, if he would accept entry as a contributor into the Patriot Hall of Fame. He accepted. I actually wanted to meet with him in person, but he was on his way to Saratoga, where he goes. So I’m excited. We’ll have him at our Patriots Hall of Fame induction ceremonies, and I’m sorry if I messed up the Thursday meeting of people.”
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NFL rules changes so far at the league meetings:
- The Eagles' proposal to modify regular season overtime was partially approved by NFL owners. Each team is guaranteed of at least one offensive possession, as the Eagles proposed. But the overtime session remains at 10 minutes rather than being extended to 15 minutes as proposed.
- NFL owners approved the competition committee's proposal to expand the replay-assist system to include objective aspects of facemask violations, illegal hits on defenseless players, horse-collar tackles, tripping and roughing the kicker penalties called by the on-field officials.
- NFL owners approved the competition committee's proposals to make the year-old kickoff format permanent and move the spot of the touchback on kickoffs from the 30- to the 35-yard line. They did not immediately approve the committee's proposed changes to onside kicks. Could be revisited at the May owners' meeting in Minneapolis, where the owners like to ram things through.
- NFL owners rejected the Lions' proposal to eliminate the automatic first down associated with defensive holding and illegal contact penalties.
UPDATING
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Full transcript from the entire Patriots beat:
Opening statement
"I've been privileged to own the Pats for 31 years, and the last two years have been really, really difficult; the worst two years of our ownership. And so we tried to create a foundation of a new beginning, and I'm pretty excited about what we have. I've been told to calm down, but I really am (excited). What's going on, the chemistry in the building, reaching out and signing a lot of, hopefully, good free agents. We have a foundation.
I hope that we're never drafting No. 4 again in my lifetime. But today, it's a great opportunity, and in the end, if you want to build a team that is going to win and sustain winning, you have to have good drafts. Unfortunately, over the last few years, we have not done a good job in that area. I think the organization has reshuffled how we do things, on priorities and how we value it. And I hope we start to see the impact of that over the next couple of years."
IS THIS ANOTHER REBUILD
“I’ll get chastised for saying it, but I think we’re ahead of that. I think we have some real talent in the locker room. I think we’re privileged now to have a head coach that has learning curve experience and has really come in and created a great atmosphere. I remember him as a player and his competitive attitude. He has grown as an individual in terms of having that edge but also being able to build a sense of team and cooperation. It’s unusual when every part of the building feels that he’s someone that they can relate to and he’s cooperating and he’s putting team-first. It’s really created a great sense of camaraderie.”
Are expectations greater this year than what they were last year for what your team can accomplish?
I think that’s fair, yes. Ever since I’ve owned the team, the objectives were for the team to make the playoffs. Because once you make the playoffs, anything can happen. I think we have experience over the last few decades of seeing how that happens. I know I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but after my family, this team is the most important thing in my life. The bottom line is winning games. These last two years have been brutal, really. I want to try to do whatever I could to get back to a system and a situation where we had hope and we had a chance to do anything. I think we’re on that path now.
What makes you confident Eliot and Mike can get the draft right this year?
I’ve learned in every organization, it’s the culture that matters, and people have to be comfortable speaking up and saying I don’t agree. And sometimes you can be in a business environment where people are afraid to do that. I think the culture now is an open culture where people are free to express opinions. There are a lot of different points of view, and it’s healthy. In life, it’s important to know what you don’t know and then get the best people around you. I think having the infusion of the new people, and having a plan and being able to connect the dots and put it all together, I see it happening, and I’m probably too excited. But I am. The truth is I’m very excited about this coming year, and I can’t wait for the games to begin.
How do you feel about how the team has been spending its money and how much of it is a reaction to maybe not spending it last year in free agency?
Just to correct something. There’s never been a case in 31 years where people have come to us to spend and we’ve said no. never one time. We’ve always been willing to spend. When we do it, we want people to feel they’ve done their homework and feel confident that we’re doing it and improving. Most people would say given coach’s experience and what we’ve done on defense and his knowledge of that area and the personnel that we’ve improved greatly and I think that’s so. I know I don’t know, but I’m excited. We’ve always had a strong defense and I think that any of us that are fans of the team know we want to try to strengthen the offense a little on the line, in the receiver area, maybe a speed running back. But I’m talking as a fan. I have confidence that this group is all on the same page and the most important thing is everyone is putting team first. In this business, you can’t have little groupings who have their own ideas. The fact that it’s starting fresh and everyone expressed how they feel, it’s been very exciting for me.
What would make this season a success?
To make the playoffs.
NFLPA report card?
It was eye-opening for me. And then I put it in context that in 31 years, going through these last two years and the way things were and the culture that was there, it really opened my eyes in a way. We think we’re bonded and we have things but it just was not a good environment. We want to do everything we can to make this the feeling that this is one of the best places you can go. I think we had that for quite a while in terms of winning and people wanted to come here. And then the last couple of years changed it. And now it’s management and ownership’s job to do everything they can to create the culture that this is a place where people want to come to. I really believe it’s happening. Now we’ve got to produce on the field and get people to want to be in this environment. We’re trying to do the different things we can to make that happen.
Robert, you’re going to be 84 in June. Some NFL owners, like Ralph Wilson and Dan Rooney, stepped aside, or took a step back around a similar age. Have there been any discussions, succession plans, or things like that?
“Are you telling me what [to do]? First of all, I think I’m 35. And you all will laugh when I say it. You know, in life, look, I was a little kid sitting on one of those benches dreaming about owning this team and bringing a winning culture here. I said after my family, this team and this foundation to combat hate and anti-Semitism, those are my passions. As far as succession, succession is there. My eldest son, Jonathan, has been part of every key decision I’ve made for the last 30-odd years and is a full partner in everything. He stays out of the limelight. But we have a plan that is in place for all of our businesses. Were you suggesting something that? You know, that’s a bias. Sometimes with age, you have experience. But let’s see what happens this year. Let’s see what happens over the next 2-3 years.”
Robert, there is a Patriots Hall of Fame committee meeting coming up Thursday. Do you have any advice – with Edelman, Vinatieri, Mankins, others – it’s getting challenging…
“People will probably get mad at me for what I’m about to do. I know Thursday we have a meeting of our Patriots Hall of Fame group. I decided the end of last week to make a call to Bill Parcells and I asked him if we would be kind enough to accept going into our Patriot Hall of Fame. He had been a finalist for five years. Going back to your question [Greg], while both of us are alive in our late 30s, I thought it would be great given what he’s done for the team, if he would accept entry as a contributor into the Patriot Hall of Fame. He accepted. I actually wanted to meet with him in person, but he was on his way to Saratoga, where he goes. So I’m excited. We’ll have him at our Patriots Hall of Fame induction ceremonies, and I’m sorry if I messed up the Thursday meeting of people.”
Any updates on the Everett Stadium?
Well you know, I think back to when I bought the Patriots. I had gone out to St. Louis to meet with James Orthwein and knew we had a stadium that was inadequate. I called the then-governor and said, ‘I’m going to keep the team from moving to St. Louis but I need your commitment that you’re going to help me get a stadium in downtown Boston.’ And he said, ‘I’m there, you’re in.’ Of course we all know what happened. The political environment here is a little different. So we built the only stadium in America that’s 100 percent private. And we’re willing to do that for soccer for fans to go. Usually it’s 20-25,000 fans come to a soccer game. We’re willing to this private financed stadium in Everett but politics takes over in Beantown unlike most places. We’re willing to do it, we just need the political people and putting all the agendas team-first. We hope it happens but we can’t force it.
Q: Going back to the NFLPA report card, regarding team plane with no WIFI, ashtrays, are there any plans to buy or have a new team plane?
Kraft: First of all, let me just correct, there are no ashtrays on the plane. That goes back 30 years ago. I don’t know, anyone gone on a plane with ashtrays? There’s no ashtrays. And I’m willing to take a bet with anyone who says that. Think, we bought those planes to make it easier for our team to travel. It was very hard pre-Covid to get planes. And we’re in the process of trying to update and improve that. We want everything we do to be top-of-the-heap and first class. Rather than having to go out and charter and everything, we wanted control. We let the planes used by different charities. They’ve done a lot of good. But we do need an upgrade.”