Report: Kraft and Goodell’s relationship ‘pretty much dead’
If Robert Kraft and Roger Goodell’s relationship was at all frayed before the Wells Report was released, it may well have reached terminal status in lieu of the punishment Goodell handed down to the Patriots for Deflategate.
Bleacher Report’s Mike Freeman reported on Monday night that an unnamed NFL owner would now characterize the relationship between Kraft and Goodell as “pretty much dead.’’
“I can’t say for certain but it sure seems that way to me,’’ the owner told Freeman. “Some of us (owners) are waiting a little nervously to see what Robert does next.’’
Sports Illustrated’s Greg Bedard, who formerly covered the Patriots for The Boston Globe, corroborated that sentiment, noting that “several people close to Kraft’’ feel that the Patriots’ owner “sees the investigation and report as an act of disloyalty – the worst offense,’’ and that in Kraft’s mind, “the league came after Brady over a minor issue that’s not worthy of the time, money and effort poured into it.’’
“I really don’t see how Robert is going to get past this with Roger,’’ a source close to Kraft told Bedard. “Robert was furious with the leaks and the investigation in the first place, but he figured they’d be exonerated. Now he’s out of his mind with anger.’’
What Kraft does next could well be to sue the league, which Sports Illustrated and the MMQB’s Peter King thinks is a likely outcome. King told CBS This Morning on Tuesday that his “bet is that [Kraft] will go rogue on this and [King’s] bet is that he will try to appeal this penalty in a court of law.’’
Kraft didn’t come out and relay just what he and the Patriots specifically plan to do in response to the league’s discipline when he released a statement on Monday night, saying only that “it was our intention to accept any discipline levied by the league. Today’s punishment, however, far exceeded any reasonable expectation.’’
It’s pretty warm out in New England, but for the Patriots and the NFL, winter is coming.
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Timeline of Deflategate
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