Robert Kraft Optimistic The NFL Will Have A 2020 Season: 'I Believe We Can Do It'
BOSTON (CBS) -- Robert Kraft is hopeful that the NFL will hit the field in 2020, and believes the league is worker toward the proper plans to do just that. The Patriots owner joined Hannity on Fox News Tuesday evening, touching on a number of topics regarding the current state of the sport during the coronavirus pandemic and, of course, Tom Brady's departure from New England.
Kraft didn't say too much about the changing of the guard at quarterback on the Patriots, but he did reflect on how special it was to have Brady, Bill Belichick and himself leading New England to glory for the last 20 seasons.
"We're about to start our second century in the NFL. I'm privileged to have the greatest quarterback in the history of the league in the first hundred years and the greatest coach," Kraft told Sean Hannity. "So it's a great joy to have this partnership for 20 years. We were able to keep it together."
After a 20-year career with the Patriots that saw him lead the franchise to six Super Bowl titles, Brady left New England this offseason to sign a two-year deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
It's understandable that Kraft didn't want to talk too much about the quarterback's departure. But when it comes to 2020, he remains optimistic that there will be an NFL season.
"We're preparing to hopefully play football this fall," said Kraft. "We're working hand-in-hand with our union, we believe we've developed protocols that allow us to do it in a safe way, looking out first for our players and our personnel and then, of course, the fans. I believe we can do it."
Kraft recently auctioned off his Super Bowl LI ring as part of the All In Challenge, which raised $1,025,000 to help feed those in need during the pandemic. He spoke of that decision, hoping that parting with the ring from New England's epic comeback against the Atlanta Falcons would give the country some motivation to bounce back during these difficult times.
"I thought about our fifth Super Bowl, when we were down 28-3 with two minutes to go in the third period and had a 0.4 [percent] chance of winning the game, a 99.6 [percent chance] to lose. And we came back. It was a great victory," he said. "In some ways, I feel the mood of our country is a little down now and we're still the greatest country in the world. We're going to come back. I thought that our ring epitomized that"
He also shed some light on the winning bidder, who has chosen to remain anonymous at this point.
"I'm happy to say that a Patriots fan who wants to remain anonymous right now bought it. I hope they'll come public with it," he said.
Chris Evans? John Krasinski? Mark Wahlberg? Kraft didn't give us much to go on, but let the speculation begin as to who won the famed ring.
