Robert Kraft knows firsthand what it’s like to be at odds with the NFL, but the New England Patriots owner appeared to provide a distinction between his battles with the league and how Jerry Jones is currently going about his war.
The Dallas Cowboys owner of course is embroiled in a contentious feud with the NFL, not to mention his fellow owners, over his stance regarding Roger Goodell’s contract.
It’s been a tumultuous several weeks, to say the least, as Jones has waged war against his fellow owners, with reported threats of lawsuits and the like utilized as means to disrupt the process of getting the NFL commissioner’s contract extended.
Kraft appeared to take a direct shot at Jones over his ongoing obstructive behavior when addressing the obligations of an NFL owner while speaking at the Dealmakers in Sports conference. The Patriots owner said it is “important in every league that everyone is a good partner and no one perceives themselves to be bigger than the league itself.”
As noted, it’s not like Kraft himself hasn’t had to navigate a testy relationship with the NFL, as the Deflategate saga saw Kraft butting heads with the commissioner as well as the league. The Patriots were fined $1 million, lost two draft picks and saw Tom Brady suspended for four games to start the 2016 season at the conclusion of the protracted legal process.
Kraft, however, attempted to distinguish differences between the Deflategate situation and what’s presently occurring with Jones.
“It’s more important that the people running the league do the right thing for the league than for any one franchise,” Kraft said, via Pro Football Talk. “And, in our case, we had a situation where the league really messed up big time, and, you know, we were very disappointed, and we decided to step back because we are in this business for the long term and we tried to be a good partner.”
It goes without saying it will be interesting to see how Jones responds to Kraft’s comments when he hears about them.
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