Yesterday it was reported that Patriots owner Robert Kraft and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell sat down and talked "for quite a long time" before hugging it out at a birthday party Saturday night in New York for CBS Sports chairman Sean McManus, as reported by Adam Schefter. Today, we get to see the result of the meeting.
The Patriots have miraculously decided not to appeal the NFL’s decision to penalize them a 2016 1st round, a 2017 4th round draft pick and fine them $1 million. That must have been a great talk between Kraft and Goodell.
In a press conference today, Kraft said.. "Although I might disagree what is decided, I do have respect for [commissioner Roger Goodell] and believe that he's doing what he perceives to be in the best interests of [all 32 teams]," Kraft said, while speaking to the media at the NFL owners meetings. "So in that spirit, I don't want to continue the rhetoric that's gone on for the last four months.
"I'm going to accept, reluctantly, what he has given to us and not continue this dialogue and rhetoric. We won't appeal."
Kraft wants us to believe that he is putting the interest of the NFL or the “shield” as it is often referred to ahead of his franchise. I for one don’t believe this for a minute. Let us not forget that Goodell is acting as the arbitrator in the case of the Tom Brady suspension. Does anyone think for a second that this suspension wasn’t talked about before their embrace? This has back door deal written all over it. Mark my words, Brady will get at the very minimum a two game reduction of his 4 game suspensions and it will be from the result of the two poker buddies mending fences.
I hope I am wrong and Roger Goodell acts on the merit of the Wells report instead of going back to burying his head in the sand with everything related to the New England Patriots.