Tag: Robert Kraft

Was Tom Brady actually mad about the Robert Kraft massage joke at his Netflix roast?

Was Tom Brady really mad at this?

The Tom Brady roast on Netflix was, as most roasts are, extremely wild and NSFW, with jokes of all kinds being flung at the GOAT QB, his former coach Bill Belichick, Rob Gronkowski and beyond (we rounded up the best moments!).

But there was one joke that Brady might have actually taken offense to, and it wasn’t one about him.

Comedian Jeff Ross, known as the king of the modern roasts, got up and said that Brady famously told Patriots owner Robert Kraft that drafting him was the best decision the Pats ever made.

Then, Ross added, “Would you like a massage?” a clear reference to Kraft being charged with misdemeanor prostitution solicitation in 2019 and with the charges eventually being dropped.

Brady walked over to Ross and could be heard saying, “Don’t say that [expletive] again.”

Now: was he actually mad and warned Ross about that? Or was that part of the act? He could be very protective of the owner who wasn’t at the center of the roast.

Here it is [WARNING: NSFW LANGUAGE AHEAD]:

Kevin Hart gets Robert Kraft and Bill Belichick to do a shot together

Kevin Hart playing peacemaker for Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft is must-see content

Who would have ever thought Kevin Hart, of all people, would be on a stage getting the recently broken up New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and former coach Bill Belichick to take a shot together.

But that’s exactly what happened at Sunday’s “The Roast of Tom Brady” Netflix special.

The actor/comedian got the former duo to come together and put an end to the perceived beef behind the scenes. Before taking the shot, Kraft reiterated that Belichick was the greatest coach in NFL history.

“I want to say, this is the greatest coach in the history of the game that did what no one else has done. And having Tom Brady and him was the greatest honor the good Lord gave me,” said Kraft.

Hart then commented, “A black man made that happen.”

Kraft faced heavy backlash following the release of “The Dynasty: New England Patriots” docuseries. Former players and fans felt the 10-part series portrayed Belichick in a negative light.

There was also ESPN’s bombshell article, which explained how Kraft potentially played a “big part” in the Atlanta Falcons deciding not to hire Belichick as their new head coach, after he mutually parted ways with New England.

For Patriots fans, the hope is that the owner and former coach can bury the hatchet, if there is one, and celebrate what they created together—a six-time Super Bowl-winning franchise with a dynasty that spanned nearly two decades.

Here’s hoping the gentlemen’s shot was a step in the right direction.

Joe Milton III details phone call with Patriots owner Robert Kraft

Joe Milton opens up on his phone call with Patriots owner Robert Kraft

New England Patriots rookie quarterback Joe Milton III is ready to make a strong impression with the organization. He opened up about what his first phone call was like with the organization in an interview with football analyst Coach Hayes.

Milton was selected by the Patriots in the sixth round with the 193rd overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. Now, he will get a chance to compete in the quarterback room with third overall pick Drake Maye. Milton seems to be open to competition, as the Patriots offense is undergoing a complete rebuild.

Milton has one particular football trait that stands out from the rest, however. And it even caught owner Robert Kraft’s attention.

“He was just talking about [how] he’s just ready to see my arm talent in person. He heard that I had the strongest arm in the draft. I said, ‘Nah, I got the strongest arm in the country,’” said Milton. “…He’s just ready to see that in person and see me compete. Because they drafted Drake Maye third pick overall, so he’s ready to see me compete with him.”

It sounds like both quarterbacks in the room are ready to prove themselves, as New England looks to find stability at the quarterback position for the first time in the post-Tom Brady era.

At the very least, Milton appears to be hungry and motivated to prove he’s more than just a sixth-round pick.

Jerod Mayo maintains decision-making process has been collaborative

Jerod Mayo pushed back on the notion of ownership involvement in personnel decisions

New England Patriots coach Jerod Mayo is not buying into the report leading up to the NFL draft that Jonathan Kraft was “heavily involved” in the team’s decision-making.

That led to a general consensus amongst fans that Jonathan and his father, owner Robert Kraft, would be making many football decisions, including who New England would choose in the draft.

The organization ended up selecting North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye with the third overall pick.

When meeting with reporters, Mayo pushed back on the idea that ownership would have control over personnel decisions. The coach insisted that the effort was collaborative and that ownership let the football minds do their thing, as transcribed by NESN.com’s Gayle Troiani.

“It’s been very collaborative, and I’ll say this, ownership has given us the freedom to really use our expertise,” Mayo said. “That’s being football coaches. That’s being football scouts. I think the entire organization down here has done a really good job coming together and making a decision all together, instead of just one man having to make the final call. It’s been a great process.”

From Mayo’s comments, it’s clear ownership did not have as big of a say in things as many thought they would. That could certainly be viewed as a positive sign for the future.

WATCH: Inside Patriots draft room during Drake Maye selection

A behind-the-scenes look at the moment Drake Maye became a Patriot

At long last, Thursday was the opening round of the 2024 NFL draft.

All of those months of preparation, pro days and pre-draft visits led to the New England Patriots choosing the future by selecting North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye at No. 3 overall.

The Patriots’ Twitter account gave us an exclusive video inside the draft room, right as Maye was about to be selected. Everyone, from de facto general manager Eliot Wolf to coach Jerod Mayo, had a chance to talk with the quarterback before the selection.

Robert Kraft was the last one to take the call to welcome the Patriots’ new rookie quarterback to the organization.

It’s always fun to see behind-the-scenes footage from the draft rooms. By the looks of it, the entire Patriots’ organization look pleased and eager to get the organization back on track.

Kevin O’Connell jokes about trading for third overall pick

While taking questions at his church, Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell joked about sending flowers to Patriots’ Robert Kraft.

It’s no secret that the Minnesota Vikings are likely looking to draft a quarterback in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft. It’s also no secret that if they want to draft one of the top prospects, they’re going to have to trade up. One of the more likely options for a trade-up scenario is the New England Patriots, but they also need a quarterback and likely want a haul for the pick.

The Vikings are going to have to put together a pretty sweet deal if they’re going to convince the Patriots to move off the #3 pick. During an interview at his church, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell joked about sweetening the deal by “sending Robert Kraft a bouquet of flowers the other day”.

Jokes aside, O’Connell and the rest of the Vikings’ brass know they’re going to have to put together a great deal to convince the Patriots — who have a significant need at the position as well and are already in place to grab one of the top prospects — to move down. Doing whatever they can to butter up Kraft and the Patriots’ decision-makers isn’t a bad strategy to try and lessen that demand.

Will they be able to make something happen before Thursday’s first round kicks off? We’ll find out in a couple of days!

Report: Bill Belichick was ‘very interested’ in Commanders’ head coaching job

Magic Johnson advocated for Bill Belichick, but the Commanders went in another direction.

It’s not often you need a head coach and a six-time Super Bowl champion is available. That was the case for the Washington Commanders this offseason. After the Patriots mutually agreed to part ways with Bill Belichick, the 72-year-old reportedly still wanted to coach.

Two jobs stood out early as possibilities for Belichick: the Atlanta Falcons and the Los Angeles Chargers. However, it was apparent that the Chargers were all-in on Jim Harbaugh, leaving the Falcons.

Belichick interviewed with the Falcons and was expected to have a second interview, but eventually, Atlanta hired Raheem Morris. The Commanders opening remained, but Belichick was never asked to interview, and the job eventually went to Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.

Was Washington even interested in Belichick?

According to Don Van Natta Jr., Seth Wickersham and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, Commanders minority owner Magic Johnson was interested and made his pitch for the future Hall of Fame coach.

Washington seemed to be another good fit, and multiple sources said Belichick was very interested. He grew up in Annapolis, Maryland, and the combination of his hometown ties and football acumen might have helped the Commanders win and land a stadium in Washington, D.C., considered the most-prized location for a new venue. Commanders minority owner Magic Johnson lobbied hard for Belichick to be the team’s new head coach, sources said. Belichick spoke to new Commanders GM Adam Peters, a former Patriots staffer, and said he respected the job Peters had done in personnel since he had left New England, helping the Broncos and 49ers reach a combined three Super Bowls.

Apparently, managing partner Josh Harris discussed Belichick with Patriots owner Robert Kraft but was not interested in hiring him, instead preferring to hire a general manager first. Belichick held control over personnel during his tenure in New England, a model he likely preferred at a potential new destination.

However, principal owner Josh Harris, who had spoken privately with Kraft about Belichick, told confidants in early December that he respected Belichick but wasn’t going to hire him. He wanted the same leadership structure he has with the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils: a strong general manager over a head coach. Harris’ hiring of the 44-year-old Peters as GM before he looked for a coach was a big tell that Belichick was not a fit, a decision that Johnson endorsed. A source close to Belichick said the coach had questions about working in a strong-GM system. Washington decided to hire Cowboys defensive coordinator and former Falcons head coach Dan Quinn. The victim of the Patriots’ 28-3 Super Bowl comeback had a job. The primary architect of that historic victory did not.

Was this the right move for the Commanders? Only time will tell, but the early signs are positive for the Quinn/Peters partnership. Of course, Washington must win. After four years of Ron Rivera as the head coach/GM, that route didn’t appear to be one Harris would follow.

Report: Robert Kraft wanted Bill Belichick gone following 2022 season

Robert Kraft wanted to fire Bill Belichick after the 2022 season, but he was reportedly talked out of that decision

Former New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick might have been axed a lot sooner, if not for Jonathan Kraft.

A new report published on Wednesday, via ESPN’s Seth Wickersham, Don Van Natta Jr. and Jeremy Fowler, indicated the younger Kraft convinced his father and Patriots owner Robert Kraft not to fire Belichick after the 2022 season.

New England struggled offensively and finished 8-9 that season. The unit could not piece things together under the direction of Matt Patricia, who had been given offensive play-calling duties. That made life difficult for quarterback Mac Jones and the rest of the offense. Patriots ownership put out a letter to fans following the season, indicating that things would be better in 2023.

The ESPN article read:

“A source close to Robert Kraft said he considered moving on from Belichick after the 2022 season, but Jonathan Kraft talked him out of it.”

It might have given the Patriots a better shot at rebuilding if Belichick was fired in 2023. New England has never had a full rebuild in the post-Tom Brady era, until now.

Bill Belichick reportedly considered joining this team to stick it to Krafts

Bill Belichick reportedly liked the idea of joining one team in particular

After parting ways with the New England Patriots, former head coach Bill Belichick reportedly liked the idea of joining one team in particular as a way to stick it to Patriots ownership.

That team was none other than the Jerry Jones-owned Dallas Cowboys.

Belichick was ultimately passed up by the Cowboys, who still have Mike McCarthy under contract. ESPN’s Seth Wickersham, Don Van Natta Jr. and Jeremy Fowler’s report read:

Dallas was another potential suitor. On paper, the Cowboys seemed to make sense: Belichick and Jerry Jones are decades-long friends, and both are in win-now mode. Nobody is better than Belichick at converting a talented roster into a championship team. And Belichick told a friend that he liked the idea of sticking it to the Krafts by working for Jones. But Jones, for all his flash, bluster and vows this offseason to go “all-in,” is change-averse when it comes to head coaches. He decided quickly after Dallas’ blowout exit in the wild-card round to let Mike McCarthy coach the final year of his contract.

Kraft and Jones are the two most influential owners in the NFL, and well over a year ago, the two men reportedly got into a heated exchange during an owners meeting.

The Cowboys might still consider Belichick as an option in 2025, if the team continues to struggle under McCarthy. In four seasons with the team, McCarthy has only won one playoff game.

Belichick, on the other hand, is a six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach that is still somehow without a job. The bombshell ESPN article talked about how close the legendary coach was to signing with the Atlanta Falcons, but then things cooled off significantly after phone conversations between Kraft and Falcons owner Arthur Blank.

Belichick is 72 years and still looking to break the record for most wins as an NFL head coach. The clock is ticking, and Dallas could end up becoming his best option.

Robert Kraft reportedly played ‘big part’ in Falcons not hiring Bill Belichick

ESPN’s bombshell article reveals the role Robert Kraft reportedly played in the Falcons passing on Bill Belichick

New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick thought he had the Atlanta Falcons head coaching job in the bag, along with the rest of the outside world.

All of the signs pointed towards Falcons owner Arthur Blank green lighting a team-up with the man responsible for helping hand his team their most embarrassing loss in franchise history at Super Bowl LI. But then out of nowhere, it was announced that former Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris would be taking over as the Falcons’ new head coach.

And just like that, the Belichick chatter was over, and people were left scratching their heads at why the six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach couldn’t land the job.

ESPN reported a phone conversation during the interview process between Blank and Patriots owner Robert Kraft. Blank spoke with Kraft in an effort to check Belichick’s references and get a feel for how the owner who knew him better than anyone experienced him behind the scenes.

A bombshell article published on Wednesday, via Seth Wickersham, Don Van Natta Jr. and Jeremy Fowler said:

But in a conversation with Blank, Kraft delivered a stark assessment of Belichick’s character, according to a source who spoke to two people: a close Kraft friend and a longtime Belichick confidant. The source quoted the Belichick source as saying, “Robert called Arthur to warn him not to trust Bill.” That account was backed up, the source said, by the close Kraft friend.

Multiple sources said that Kraft spoke with “some candor” to Blank about Belichick, though the sources declined to elaborate. One source close to Belichick said Kraft “was a big part” of why the Falcons passed on hiring him.

A spokesperson for Kraft denied there was anything disparaging said about Belichick in the two phone conversations with Blank in January. However, there was the possibility he might have been critical of Belichick before those specific conversations.

If true, it’s a messy situation that doesn’t necessarily paint the Patriots’ owner in the best light.