Report: Robert Kraft was livid over rival owner’s Hall of Fame induction

Jan 20, 2019; Kansas City, MO, USA; New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft watches from the sidelines before the AFC Championship game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft has, to date, been excluded from the Pro Football Hall of Fame. That fact is reportedly quite frustrating to him, especially in comparison to who has been inducted recently.

A new profile of Kraft by Don Van Natta Jr. of ESPN reveals that Kraft and his allies had a strongly negative reaction when Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017. Kraft reportedly felt that he deserved to be inducted before Jones did, both because of the success of the Patriots, and also because of his importance in growing the NFL into a multi-billion dollar industry.

Kraft’s inner circle reportedly responded to Jones’ induction with “anger and confusion,” pointing out that the Patriots had been far more successful in recent years than the Cowboys have been. Kraft himself saw Jones’ induction as an “insult” while he remains on the outside looking in.

Kraft even reportedly called out the Cowboys’ lack of on-field success privately in response to the perceived snub.

“He hasn’t been to the NFC title game in two decades and he gets in?” Kraft said privately. “How does that work?”

Kraft and Jones not being friendly is not exactly news. The two reportedly had a heated exchange during one owners’ meeting two years ago, and Jones essentially confirmed as much publicly.

Kraft has overseen six Super Bowl titles as owner, but his Hall of Fame candidacy may be hurt by the Spygate and Deflategate controversies that dogged the organization. A personal off-field controversy has not helped his case, either.