Breaking News: Patriots will not appeal punishment

Robert Kraft put the NFL's interests as a whole over what he thought might have been best for the New England Patriots. He will accept the punishment of commissioner Roger Goodell in deflate-gate.



Kraft took the unusual step of holding a press conference at the start of the league's annual spring meetings. But it's an unusual circumstance. He spoke for a few minutes, taking no questions, and explained that the discussion of deflated footballs in the AFC championship game had continued too long and he wanted it to end. So to end the continuing argument that has played out in punishment he was taking the NFL's punishment, which included a $1 million fine, and the loss of a first-round draft pick in 2016 and a fourth-round pick in 2017.



"Believing in the strength of the partnership and the 32 teams, we have concentrated power of adjudication in the office of the commissioner," Kraft said in his press conference, which was broadcast on NFL Network. "Although I might disagree with what was decided, I do have respect for the commissioner, and believe he’s doing what he perceives is in the best interest of the full 32. In that spirit, I don’t want to continue the rhetoric that has 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."



Quarterback Tom Brady has appealed his four-game suspension through the NFLPA. It would be a major surprise if he drops that. But Kraft thought the fight over the controversy was not in the best interests of the league.



There had been reports that the Patriots and NFL could work on a solution to lessen the penalties from deflate-gate, although that would be an admission by the league that their original penalties were wrong. The Patriots have not admitted to any wrongdoing. Kraft's decision to accept the punishment relieves the NFL from that awkwardness, as well as the potentially contentious appeal or any legal action.



it worked out perfectly for the NFL. Kraft didn't admit any wrongdoing in his statement, however. He just wanted the conversation to end. He did not take any questions for that reason. He said he hoped Patriots fans understood his decision.



"The heart and soul and strength of the NFL is it’s a partnership of 32 teams," Kraft said. "What has become very clear over those two decades is that at no time should the agenda of one team outweigh the collective good of the full 32."

This is the angle I believe = the truth of the matter.

Pats fans crying about how Wells writes what he's told to write, well, perhaps he was told to write just enough to justify punishment, while preserving the legacy of Brady/Bill. No Pats fans every considered that side of it. Perhaps there's much more incriminating, like legacy destroying, truth behind all of this. Perhaps the punishment terms are reflective of the big picture, while the Wells report was used to manage the PR hit of the Patriots organization.

Fucking cheaters.

Hmmm...object, appeal, drop appeal, smell-like-roses. Krafty...

That would have pissed off his fanbase though.

You're exactly right about the motivations, but that doesn't change the fact that he played this pretty well.

Pats fans are making me laugh so hard today:

So much bitching about how they can't wear patriots gear anywhere because people call them cheaters. They aren't mad at the team for cheating, just for Kraft declining to pursue litigation over the penalties.

So many guys pissing about how Kraft ruined the team although it's obvious they only became fans when Kraft bought the team.

Complaints abound over all the corruption in the NFL but they don't mean winning multiple Super Bowls by cheating.

This is so great.

HAHAHA Cheating bastards.