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'We have to change that' — Robert Kraft is tired of narrative around the Patriots and makes intriguing promise to the fans

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Wendell Ferreira | Last updated Jun 25, 2025 11:54 AM ET

Robert Kraft bought the New England Patriots back in 1994. Two years later, they were in the Super Bowl. Over the next decade, the team would start building one of the greatest dynasties in NFL history. Everything changed over the past few years, since quarterback Tom Brady left. But especially over 2023 and 2024, the Patriots had tough results, which led to the team parting ways with head coaches Bill Belichick and Jerod Mayo in back-to-back years.

Now, Kraft is ready to make things change. The 84-year-old owner is tired of losing, and he wants a strong connection between the coaching staff and the players.

"The last two years were the worst years of my 31 years of ownership," Kraft told ESPN's Adam Schefter. "We have to change that. We have a new coach in Mike Vrabel who is really connected with the players, who is doing great work."

Part of the process to get back on track is, as expected, the quarterback. Since Brady left, the Patriots had to start Cam Newton, Brian Hoyer, Mac Jones, Bailey Zappe, and Jacoby Brissett. With Drake Maye entering his second season, the first one as a full-time starter, the projections are more positive.

"We have a young quarterback and a lot of great veterans, free agent veterans who came in, a great draft class," Kraft added. "We're gonna have fun this year, I promise."

Between 2003 and 2019, the Patriots won the AFC East every year except 2008, when Tom Brady suffered a torn ACL. Over the past five seasons, though, the Buffalo Bills have been dominating the division. During this time, the Patriots did make the playoffs once, as a wild card in 2020, but lost in the first round of the playoffs—and it was exactly to the Bills, a tough 47-17 game.

New England won four games in each of the last two years, the fewest wins in a two-year stretch since 1992-1993, before Kraft took over as the franchise's owner.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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