Owner Robert Kraft Defends Tom Brady: ‘He Has Never Lied To Me’
Despite a four-game suspension against Tom Brady and a report saying he probably knew the balls were deflated, owner Robert Kraft is standing by the Patriots quarterback. Likewise, he blasted the investigation that cost his team the harshest penalty in NFL history.
Ted Wells investigated the Patriots team and the allegations behind “Deflategate” — where Patriots’ attendants illegally deflated footballs. The investigation found the Patriots were guilty and furthermore, it was “more probable than not” that Tom Brady knew about it.
As previously reported by the Inquisitr, the Patriots will have to pay a $1 million penalty, Brady will be suspended for four games, the team will lose two draft picks, and the two locker room attendants who deflated the balls will be permanently suspended. It’s the harshest punishment every dealt out by the NFL — and owner Robert Kraft says it’s unfair.
In an interview with Peter King at MMQB, Robert Kraft called the report “disturbing” and accused the league of unfairly jumping to conclusions.
“To receive the harshest penalty in league history is just not fair. The anger and frustration with this process, to me, it wasn’t fair… We need to have fair and balanced investigating and reporting. But in this report, every inference went against us… inferences from ambiguous, circumstantial evidence all went against us.”
Robert Kraft stopped short of saying he’d fight the NFL’s decision, answering that question with a “no comment.”
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who Kraft describes as a fifth son, according to ABC News, is already planning his appeal with high-profile lawyer Jeffrey Kessler. Kessler insists that Brady won’t miss a game. It’s an ominous threat for NFL commissioner Roger Goodell considering the attorney’s past successes against the league. (He forced the league to throw out Ray Rice’s lifetime suspension after the running back was caught on camera beating his wife.)
Robert Kraft also has Tom Brady’s back, insisting that he’s a man of integrity.
“We had the discussion—if you did it, let’s just deal with it and take our hit and move on. I’ve known Tommy 16 years, almost half his life. He’s a man, and he’s always been honest with me, and I trust him. I believed what he told me. He has never lied to me, and I have found no hard or conclusive evidence to the contrary.”
While Deflategate gets worked out, Tom Brady and the Patriots’ popularity has plummeted, reportedly going from a likability rating of 90 percent to a measly 68 percent. The bad publicity will likely hurt Robert Kraft and the Patriots in the long run, even if Brady wins his eventual appeal.
[Image Credit: Getty Images]
