New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft revealed on Monday that he wrote a letter to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell outlining reasons why he believes his team should be given its first-round draft pick back.
Kraft said he wrote the letter toward the end of the season and asked Goodell to take note of new information while reconsidering the punishment handed down to the Patriots over Deflategate. Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald notes that Kraft would not say whether Goodell responded but did say the team has done everything it could do to recoup the pick.
If you remember, Kraft accepted the loss of draft picks and the largest fine against a team in NFL history. He later admitted that he did so hoping the league would reduce or overturn Tom Brady’s four-game suspension. When that did not happen, Kraft unloaded on Goodell and apologized to Patriots fans. Those weren’t even his harshest comments against the league, which you can read here.
The chances of Goodell giving the Patriots their first-round pick back are slim to none. Brady’s suspension is still going through appeals court, and some feel that the NFL might even win out and Brady could still serve the four-game ban. Kraft can try all he wants, but the decision is likely final. He should have never accepted the punishment to begin with.
