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Former Patriots detailed awkward Bill Belichick-Robert Kraft tension prior to Tom Brady roast
Julian Edelman and Drew Bledsoe gave a breakdown of the "tension" in the green room.
Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft were present and in good spirits during the recent Netflix roast of Tom Brady, with each playing a role in what was a memorable night of jokes.
Yet according to former Patriots Julian Edelman and Drew Bledsoe, the lingering tension between Belichick and Kraft was palpable during a pre-roast moment in the green room.
Edelman and Bledsoe gave a rundown of the sequence during an episode of the former’s podcast, “Games With Names,” released shortly after the roast. It began with Belichick chatting up several former players, including Bledsoe, Edelman, Randy Moss, and Rob Gronkowski. Bledsoe was also accompanied by his brother and a friend.
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“Bill’s opening up. He’s having fun,” Edelman began. “He’s talking war stories, talking rookies, talking fun s***, doing s*** we know that Bill’s all about, but it was amplified because he was excited to see [you] guys.”
“And then Kraft walks in,” Bledsoe added, reaching the point in the story Edelman was coming to. Bledsoe noted that the former players went over to greet Kraft, leaving just his brother with Belichick.
“Belichick’s kind of holding court. Well, as he’s in the middle of the story, Kraft walks in and so you guys all go over to say hi to Kraft, and the last man standing — to hear him tell it — is my bro.
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“He’s like, ‘Well, Bill’s telling this story. If I leave, then he’s telling the story to nobody because everybody’s over saying hi to Kraft.'”
Bledsoe provided additional context, noting that Belichick and Kraft actually did spend time talking.
“They did break it down, got together for probably 10 minutes at least, the two of them,” Bledsoe explained.
Still, both former players acknowledged what they described as obvious. Given the split between Belichick and Kraft earlier in 2024 (as well as the recent ESPN report of “bad blood” between the two), the relationship between the coach and his former boss seems to be strained.
“The tension in that room though could cut f****** glass,” Edelman bluntly recalled.
“It was very real,” said Bledsoe, concurring with his fellow former No. 11.
For Edelman, who has always had strong relationships with both Belichick and Kraft, it was an especially difficult moment.
“I was so awkward,” he admitted.
“[Kraft] came in, and I was like, ‘Oh s***, there’s going to be some fireworks,'” Edelman said. “I just walked away.”
Both Edelman and Bledsoe agreed that Belichick’s portion of the night was “pretty good,” as the longtime coach called out his former quarterback on a range of subjects (including the recently relegated soccer team Brady has a minority ownership stake in). He also referenced the Apple TV series about the Patriots, “The Dynasty,” as a “The Roast of Bill Belichick.”
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Later in the event, Kraft toasted Belichick as the “greatest coach,” though the eight-time Super Bowl winner seemed somewhat reserved in his reaction.
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