For over a decade, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft has sought a place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but his involvement in NFL scandals continues to cloud his potential path to Canton.
Despite overseeing one of the most successful franchises in NFL history, Kraft’s Hall of Fame candidacy remains controversial.
In an effort to understand why Kraft has yet to be inducted, ESPN recently interviewed more than a dozen people involved in the Hall of Fame voting process.
Many voters pointed to lingering doubts surrounding Kraft’s association with the notorious Spygate scandal.
The scandal, which erupted in 2007, involved Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and his staff videotaping signals from opposing coaches during a game against the New York Jets.
The NFL fined Belichick $500,000 and the Patriots $250,000, in addition to stripping the team of a first-round draft pick.
“A handful do most of the talking in these meetings,” one veteran Hall of Fame voter said. “Some are silent assassins.”
While the bulk of the blame for Spygate fell on Belichick, the incident has continued to cast a shadow over Kraft, who has maintained he had no knowledge of the scheme.
“Part of the problem when it comes to assessing Kraft and the entire Patriots dynasty is factoring in several well-known controversies,” ESPN’s report stated.
“A half dozen voters said evolving truths around incidents such as Spygate, Deflategate, and Orchids of Asia cloud the team’s greatness … Kraft’s biggest hurdle among voters seems to be Spygate.”
Kraft’s involvement in two other incidents – Deflategate and his visits to the Orchids of Asia massage parlor, which led to charges that were eventually dropped – also complicate his Hall of Fame bid.
“Some voters believe he was part of the biggest cheating scandal in NFL history. That’s a very tough one to overcome,” one voter said.
“Kraft has distanced himself from Spygate, but it did come up – it has to be considered,” another voter added.
While speaking about Kraft’s trips to the infamous Orchids of Asia massage parlor, one voter called it “the elephant in the room.”
There were some voters who downplayed the scandals … One referred to them as “bad judgment misdemeanors.”
In spite of Kraft’s six Super Bowl titles with the Patriots over a span of more than 30 years, some voters remain skeptical about his legacy.
However, there are voters who argue that Kraft’s achievements far outweigh the controversies.
The debate over Kraft’s candidacy reflects the intense lobbying and deliberation that happens behind the scenes of the Hall of Fame selection process.
Lobbying has reportedly become more aggressive in recent years, with discussions about candidates starting months before the final vote.
At the subcommittee level, a sponsor for each candidate makes a five-minute case, leading to either lengthy debates or brief consideration.
Though there are currently 16 NFL owners among the 378 enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Kraft has yet to join their ranks despite his unmatched success with the Patriots.
Interestingly, Kraft is said to be quite jealous of Jerry Jones. The fact that the polarizing Dallas Cowboys owner is already in the Hall of Fame is thought to bother him.
“He hasn’t been to the NFC title game in two decades and he gets in?” Kraft told a confidant via ESPN. “How does that work?”
Notably, a former Patriots rival, Bill Polian, stuck up for Kraft and stated that he deserves to be honored in Canton.
“There’s no box that Bob Kraft doesn’t check to get into the Hall of Fame,” Polian said. “When he didn’t get in last year, I lost sleep over it. I’m still sick at heart about it.”
What are your thoughts on the situation?
Does Kraft truly deserve to be in the Hall of Fame?
If he had to choose between one or the other, do you think Kraft would rather be enshrined in the Hall of Fame or win another Super Bowl with the Patriots???