Robert Kraft says it bothers him the Patriots haven’t won a playoff game in three years and he expects them to be true contenders this season.
The pressure is on Bill Belichick to deliver.
Kraft spoke to reporters Tuesday at the NFL meetings and affirmed his team’s conservative approach to free agency, and expressed faith in Belichick’s unusual decision to fill out a coaching staff without official coordinators. The owner is all-in.
“We have a chance,” Kraft said. “Because without a good coach and a good quarterback, no matter how good the other players are, I don’t think you can win consistently. Hopefully, I believe we have both an outstanding coach and a good young prospect.”
Kraft raved about Mac Jones at multiple points during his media session, while expressing his trust in Belichick on football matters. “I think Bill has a unique way of doing things. It’s worked out pretty well up to now,” Kraft said. “I know what I don’t know, and I try to stay out of the way of things I don’t know. I think he’s pretty good — he has over 40 years of experience doing it. It doesn’t sometimes look ‘straight line' to our fans, or to myself, but I’m results oriented.”
As Kraft mentioned numerous times, the results have been pretty good over the last 22 years: six Super Bowl wins, nine Super Bowl appearances, 13 championship games. But they haven’t been as great over the last three. The Patriots have gone 21-22 since Halloween 2019.
Before we go further, it’s mentioning that’s not a disastrous stretch, especially considering the Patriots made the playoffs twice. But Kraft didn’t open his media session talking about playoff appearances.
He talked about wins.
That shows where Kraft expects the Patriots to be. While Belichick always tries to temper expectations, Kraft relishes in building them up.
Those six Super Bowl rings have helped usher him everywhere from Air Force 1 to courtside with Meek Mill.
This is the second consecutive offseason in which Kraft has publicly expressed disappointment in the Patriots’ performance. Last year, it was the NFL Draft. "I don't feel like we've done the greatest job the last few years and I really hope and believe I've seen a different approach this year,” he said. (Kraft was quick to mention he was satisfied with Belichick’s draft last year, and believes the draft is the only surefire way to build a winning team.)
On Tuesday, Kraft opened with the Patriots’ overall record. “I’m a Patriot fan — big time — first. More than anything, it bothers me we haven’t been able to win a playoff game in the last three years,” Kraft said.
He brought up their playoff drought one more time in the session.
Opening statement aside, Kraft presented a unified front with Belichick. Kraft offered a strong defense of the team’s offseason inactivity, stressing that free agency continues for an entire offseason, not just three weeks. He also harkened back to 2001, when the Patriots surprised the NFL world and beat the star-studded Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI.
Unfortunately, Kraft failed to mention the biggest reason why the Patriots won in 2001: they had Tom Brady. He may not have been a prolific passer, but he excelled in the clutch.
Jones, meanwhile, lost four of his last five games.
Belichick also glossed over Brady Monday when he was grumbling about how the Patriots have rebuilt after losing players and coaches before.
The last two years have shown life is much more difficult without the greatest of all-time standing under center. The Patriots’ circumstances are different, but Kraft’s expectations are the same: true contention or bust.
It’s up to Belichick to make that happen. Good luck to him.
