New England Patriots

Despite rumors, Robert Kraft is not the father of his on-again, off-again girlfriend’s baby, spokesman says

New England Patriots team owner Robert Kraft arrives for meeting at the league headquarters in New York, Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2017. AP Photo/Richard Drew

Patriots owner Robert Kraft is not the father of his on-again, off-again girlfriend’s baby, who was born in the fall of 2017, a spokesperson for the team said early Thursday morning.

Speculation that the 76-year-old team owner could be the father began after a New York Post story revealed on Wednesday that Ricki Noel Lander gave birth to a baby at some point in 2017. The tabloid said multiple sources had confirmed the birth.

“Last fall, Ricki Noel Lander became the proud mother of a beautiful, healthy baby,” the Patriots spokesperson wrote in an email early Thursday. “While Robert Kraft is not the biological father, he is thrilled with Ricki’s blessing of having a healthy child. With respect to her family’s privacy, we will not be commenting any further.”

Lander had been on-again, off-again with Kraft since 2012.

Kraft, whose wife Myra died in 2011, has four sons, Jonathan, Daniel, Joshua, and David, all of whom are older than Lander, a 38-year-old model/actress.

According to the Post, Kraft is “taking full care of Ricki and the baby,” and has bought her a house in Los Angeles.

Finish reading Mark Shanahan’s report on BostonGlobe.com.