Robert, Jonathan Kraft talk Tom Brady's contract, future of Patriots' power trio

Share

As the New England Patriots' dynasty approaches two decades, its architects have no intention of relinquishing power.

Patriots owner Robert Kraft and his son, team president Jonathan Kraft, joined Boston Sports Tonight from Radio Row in Atlanta on Tuesday night to discuss the future of their franchise entering Super Bowl LIII.

Right off the bat, both father and son assured the "power trio" of the Krafts, head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady will be back next season.

"I'll promise you, ownership is sticking around," Robert said.

"And I think you'll see our quarterback and coach there, so that's the answer," Jonathan chimed in.

Jonathan left room for interpretation in early January when asked about Brady's contract, which expires after the 2019 season. This time around, he suggested the discussion be tabled until at least after Sunday.

New England Patriots

Find the latest New England Patriots news, highlights, analysis and more with NBC Sports Boston.

20 Under 25: With Patriots' young core, it's ‘Drake Maye, then pray'

Curran: I was wrong to say Pats shouldn't draft Maye

"We're still in the season before, so he's not in the final year of his deal," Jonathan said of Brady. "That's really the answer to that, and let's see what happens when training camp starts."

But lest you think the Krafts are ambivalent about keeping Brady around, Robert offered another assurance.

"I think we've done an OK job keeping things together. We're blessed to have the GOATs at each of their positions, and our intent would be that they keep doing it."

As for the reports of friction between the Krafts, Belichick and Brady that cropped up frequently during the 2017 season? Robert didn't pretend it's been smooth sailing since that first Super Bowl XXXVI win over the Rams in 2002, but he seems to believe those reports were overblown.

"We have something pretty special," Robert said. "It's got to get refreshed in certain ways because you've got to stay relevant, but I think we're all mature. We've gone through adolescence and we've done something that I don't think any other organization has done, both in terms of performance but also in the sense of continuity.

"And we all like each other, regardless of what some of your friends in the media say of what's going on. You have daily jobs, but let's hope it keeps going for a while."

Click here to download the new MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream the Celtics easily on your device.

Contact Us