Getty Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots talks with owner Robert Kraft before the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Gillette Stadium on December 08, 2019 in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
Robert Kraft doesn’t plan to be a hero in the story of Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, even if it means watching his franchise’s greatest quarterback walk out the door.
According to NBC Sports Boston’s Tom E. Curran, the Patriots are still willing to “extend themselves” to reach a deal with Brady that would keep him where he has been for the past 20 seasons with Kraft reportedly willing to help along negotiations between Brady and Bill Belichick if he felt things were close. Not hard to understand why considering the 42-year-old quarterback has brought six Super Bowl championships to the franchise.
But as of Saturday, Curran said he can now confirm that if the gap is wide between both sides — and that negotiations have not progressed in a meaningful way — Kraft will not get involved to ensure Brady remains with the Patriots. He will instead leave the negotiating solely up to Belichick.
Robert Kraft will not intercede to make sure Tom Brady remains with Patriots
Kraft has said previously he would prefer Brady to stay with the Patriots for the duration of his career, going as far as to include a provision in his contract that does not allow him to be franchise tagged. Brady, though, has expressed interest in testing the free-agent market this offseason and could very well end up spending the 2020 NFL season with a new team.
Brady is widely considered the darling of 2020 free agency with his record-setting resume forcing numerous teams to evaluate what it would take to bring the Patriots legend to their team. He will officially become an unrestricted free agent on March 18.
Follow the Heavy on Patriots Facebook page for the latest breaking news, rumors and content!
Curran Addresses Perception or Kraft’s Overstepping
As Curran reminds, some people think Kraft will overstep with Brady because they mistakenly believe he did the same thing when it came to Jimmy Garoppolo’s future.
An ESPN story from Seth Wickersham in 2018 pushed an allegation that Kraft had forced Belichick to trade Garoppolo to the San Francisco 49ers, leaving the Patriots head coach and general manager “furious and demoralized” about the decision. Kraft called the report “fiction,” but the perception of him being an owner willing to cross lines was created nonetheless.
Kraft’s sentimental attachment to Brady is suspect enough for some to believe he will do whatever it takes to keep him with the Patriots, but it should be reminded he has also displayed a strong commitment to letting Belichick run his team without much involvement on his part. Even with the emotions that are expected to follow all three men throughout the process, it seems unlikely Kraft would trample on the foundation of what has made his team great for the past two decades: Belichick.
Free agency is less than two weeks away and there are still a number of moves left for the Patriots to make, even bringing back Brady for a monstrous deal that would keep him in New England for good. For now, though, Kraft is leaving the Patriots’ end of things up to Belichick.
READ NEXT: Hall of Famer Explains Challenges of Finding Tom Brady’s Successor