Is Robert Kraft too tight-fisted? This image about the New England Patriots owner emerged after Bill Belichick made statements about the franchise’s spending. Now the billionaire is making a promise to the head coach.

Robert Kraft is by all means among the most powerful club bosses in the NFL. If only because of the almost two-decade-long success story of his New England Patriots. But the 82-year-old is not a loudspeaker.

So it apparently took pinpoint journalistic enquiries to get a reaction from Kraft to statements by Bill Belichick that could certainly be understood as criticism of the Patriots owner.

Belichick criticizes Patriots issues: “Number 27 in the league “

Because at the season-ending press conference in January, after the team missed the playoffs for the second time in three years, the most successful head coach of the modern era complained the Patriots were spending relatively little money. “If you take the average of our spending in 2020, 2021 and 2022, we were No. 27 in the league,” “the Hoodie” let it be known.

He added: “In several years we have low spending, in one high, but over a three-year period we’re one of the lowest spending teams in the league.” So Belichick was apparently trying to explain why the fat years are so suddenly over – since the departure of Tom Brady.

Reporter confronts Kraft about Belichick’s money statements

While the 71-year-old denied it was a dig at the owner. But more than a few observers took it that way. Apparently also Greg Bedard of the “Boston Sports Journal”. The reporter took the opportunity at the club owners’ meeting in Arizona to ask Kraft for a reaction, as he himself reported on the “NBC” programme “Early Edition”.

“So I asked Robert about Bill Belichick’s comments about them being one of the lowest spending teams in the league,” Bedard summarised, “And a lot of fans took that as a little dig at the owners, that the Krafts aren’t willing to invest in the team. That’s what I asked him about and I want to reflect it as accurately as possible. “

Billionaire Kraft promises: “Money will never be a problem “

According to Kraft, he said of Belichick, “He never came to me or didn’t get everything he asked for from a financial standpoint. We never set limits.” In addition, the Patriots boss had stressed, “Spending money will never be a problem, I promise. Otherwise, I’ll sell the team.” From Bedard’s point of view, these statements sounded “pretty clear”.

Kraft’s fortune is estimated to be in the low double-digit billions. He made his money in the paper and packaging industry. He bought the Patriots in 1994 for $172 million – a record sum for an NFL team at the time. He now also owns the New England Revolution football club.

Patriots at Cap Space in Midfield

Like all owners, however, Kraft is also limited because of the salary cap. This is how the NFL wants to guarantee fair and balanced competition. Nevertheless, the latter does not always succeed, of which the Patriots are the best example in this millennium.

Interesting: According to the portal “spotrac”, the Patriots have spent just under 203.6 million US dollars so far in 2023, which is only undercut by the Los Angeles Rams (195 million US dollars). In terms of cap space still available, the franchise ranks 13th with US$13.2 million.