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SPORTSWednesday 20 May 2015
Kraft: Patriots won’t appeal team’s fine, draft penalties
By BARRY WILNER But after further consider- In this Jan. 10, 2015, file photo, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady holds up the game
AP Pro Football Writer ation, he cited “believing
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- in the strength of the (NFL) ball after an NFL divisional playoff football game against the Baltimore Ravens in Foxborough,
Now that Patriots owner partnership and the 32
Robert Kraft is not appeal- teams” for dropping any Mass. Tom Brady is expected to file an appeal of his four-game suspension for his role in
ing his team’s punishments appeal plans.
in the deflated footballs Kraft also recognized the deflating footballs for the AFC championship game. Associated Press
scandal, only his quarter- powers given to Commis-
back’s challenge remains. sioner Roger Goodell. pressure ... in footballs.” and $250,000 against the the NFL,” he said, “is the
Moments after Kraft said “Although I might disagree This is the second time in club, along with the loss of partnership of 32 teams.”
Tuesday he won’t oppose in what is decided, I do Kraft’s 21 years as owner a first-round draft pick. Outside the Ritz-Carlton,
the $1 million fine and loss have respect for the com- that the Patriots have been Kraft has long been a Chase Bender, a 21-year-
of two draft choices the missioner, and believe he disciplined for breaking NFL confidant and adviser to old senior at Cal-Berkeley
NFL penalized the team is doing what he perceives rules. In 2007, they were Goodell and was one of who identified himself as a
for its role in using underin- to be in the best interest of penalized for videotaping the owners who champi- football fan, made his own
flated footballs in the AFC the 32,” Kraft added. New York Jets signals dur- oned Goodell to replace statement. He had a pile
championship game, the Kraft would not take any ing a game. They didn’t Paul Tagliabue in 2006. of deflated footballs and
players’ union reasserted questions Tuesday about challenge fines of $500,000 Kraft also was one of the a bag full of more, along
that Tom Brady’s appeal his decision nor about against coach Bill Belichick leaders in getting key own- with a Patriots helmet.
will go forward. Brady’s appeal, which will ers and the union together Bender began sitting out-
Brady, the MVP of Febru- be heard by Goodell. But to end the 2011 lockout, side the hotel around 10
ary’s Super Bowl and one he has said he’s convinced and he’s been a major a.m. with hopes of hav-
of the league’s biggest Brady played no part in force in negotiations with ing a word with Kraft, or
stars, has been suspended deflating the footballs. TV networks. at least get him to sign the
for the first four games of Brady’s appeal will be In other words, a team helmet.
the 2015 season by the NFL. heard within the next player, something he “I don’t really think they
So while Kraft sought to week. On Tuesday, the stressed in his short news cheated,” he said. “If they
end the “dialogue and union formally requested conference Tuesday. did, just say sorry and that
rhetoric,” it’s certain “De- that Goodell recuse him- “What I’ve learned over you know it was wrong, ac-
flategate” won’t disap- self from serving as arbitra- the last 21 years is the heart cept your penalty and get
pear anytime soon. tor, saying he is not impar- and soul and strength of on with it.”q
At the owners meetings, tial and that he is a “cen-
Kraft said he was putting tral witness in the appeal.”
the league before his fran- An NFL spokesman said
chise because “at no time the league would have no
should the agenda of one comment.
team outweigh the collec- Kraft was livid when the
tive good of the 32.” Wells Report, which was
The Patriots will lose a first- commissioned by the
round draft pick next year NFL and took nearly four
and a fourth-rounder in months to compile, con-
2017. tained what he termed
“When the discipline cam- “all circumstantial, no hard
ea out, I felt it was way over evidence.” He said Tues-
the top,” Kraft said, adding day that “the entire pro-
that if he had made his cess has taken too long; it’s
decision last week, “I think four months after the AFC
maybe it might have been championship game, and
a different one.” we are still talking about air
