The New England Patriots earned six Super Bowl titles in the last two decades under head coach Bill Belichick. From this phenomenal stat, it is clear how strong the franchise is, but the strength has been prominent till 2020. When the Patriots franchise quarterback Tom Brady left after two decades of leadership, the team started to fall.
The Pats started 1-4 this season since 2000, and they are making countless poor records. Following this terrible performance, Belichick was rumored to be kicked out from the front office role, and the team was rumored to be sold. Now, New England’s owner Robert Kraft has come forward to provide his clear statement regarding these rumors.
Patriots owner Robert Kraft puts end to sale speculation
Kraft has been the owner of the Patriots since 1994, having bought it for just $172 million, and now it’s estimated to be worth $6.7 billion, according to Sportico. After the franchise’s back-to-back defeats in recent years, many netizens speculated that he might be considering selling it soon.
However, during a recent appearance on The David Rubinstein Show: Peer to Peer Conversations,” New England owner said he would like to bear the ownership title of the franchise for life. He also added his children will also be eyeing to continue leading the team in his absence, via Sports Business Daily
“Never in my lifetime will we sell this team, and I hope my children keep it going as well because it’s such a unique asset,”
The 82-year-old continued the discussion saying after his family, the Pats team is close to him more than anything.
“After my family, I’m very passionate about this team, more than anything else.”
The Washington Commanders have been the latest franchise in the NFL to be handed over to a new owner, the Josh Harris group, in exchange for $6 billion. Considering the Patriots’ past record, it could likely be sold for a substantial sum, but Robert appears to be indifferent to the idea of parting with the team, which has a two-decade-old golden dynasty.
Patriots dismal season fuels rumors of Belichick’s departure
Besides six Lombardi trophies, Belichick holds an incredible record of 31 career playoff victories and 330 regular-season wins. However, with consecutive defeats in the last few seasons, he is also close to embracing the embarrassing title of the most defeated NFL coach.
Many might think that, given the HC’s earlier track record of success, Kraft would not think of kicking him out, but as per Jeff Howe of The Athletic, the Patriots owner doesn’t subscribe to the theory. Howe also said Kraft holds immense love for his team, but that would not come in his way of showcasing his tough side if the situation ignites him.
“Kraft likes to remind people he grew up as a Patriots fan during the organization’s darkest days. But that doesn’t mean he has patience to endure more of them. On multiple occasions in recent years, he has lamented the team’s lack of a postseason victory in the post-Brady era. … Kraft has grown frustrated, if not downright angry, over this shortage of success.”
New England is now sitting at the bottom of the AFC East with a 1-4 mark. Just a week after getting blown away by the New Orleans Saints with a 0-34 loss, they will try to rebound against the Las Vegas Raiders in week 6. Now, it remains to be seen if Belichick can push his squad to gear up themselves to save his job.
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