But the Patriots’ owner carried a more carefree attitude Tuesday during Patriots Premiere, the team’s gala benefiting the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation.
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With the saga arriving at a merciful end and little to lose ahead of Judge Richard M. Berman’s decision this week, Kraft earned a few cheers from the pro-Patriots crowd when he called Deflategate the “most overblown story in recent NFL history.”
The man in the center of the scandal, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, has spent much of his summer echoing Kraft’s outcry against allegations by the NFL that Brady was party to intentionally deflating footballs before the AFC championship game.
In a word, Brady’s offseason has been stressful, with visits from cell phone-seeking investigators, explanatory press conference and appearances in federal court. He, too, fired off a tongue-in-cheek remark during the gala.
When his turn to speak came, Patriots coach Bill Belichick remained less animated.
“There’s room for improvement,” he characteristically grunted. “For all of us.”
