In their first public comments since ESPN speculated Friday that the New England Patriots' Kraft-Brady-Belichick era may be drawing to a close, all three tried to deflate the story.
In a radio interview Saturday, quarterback Tom Brady praised his relationships with Patriots owner Robert Kraft and head coach Bill Belichick, despite claims that the trio have been feuding and there was turmoil among the five-time Super Bowl-winning team.
On Kraft: “He’s a great person, man. He’s been like a second father to me in so many ways,” Brady told Jim Gray on Westwood One Sports Radio during his weekly interview appearance Saturday.
On Belichick: “I have a great relationship with Coach Belichick. We’ve worked together for 18 years. There’s no coach I’d rather play for, and I’ve loved my experience here.”
Also on Saturday, Kraft told Sports Illustrated football writer Peter King that he believes Belichick will “absolutely” return to coach the team next season, and adamantly denied ESPN's assertion that Kraft, against Belichick's wishes, forced a trade of backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.
“(A) total fabrication and fiction," Kraft said of the ESPN account. "I am telling you, it’s fiction.”
As for Belichick, the coach affixed his name to a statement that the trio released Friday:
"It is unfortunate that there is even a need for us to respond to these fallacies. As our actions have shown, we stand united," the statement said in part.
In a radio interview Saturday, quarterback Tom Brady praised his relationships with Patriots owner Robert Kraft and head coach Bill Belichick, despite claims that the trio have been feuding and there was turmoil among the five-time Super Bowl-winning team.
On Kraft: “He’s a great person, man. He’s been like a second father to me in so many ways,” Brady told Jim Gray on Westwood One Sports Radio during his weekly interview appearance Saturday.
On Belichick: “I have a great relationship with Coach Belichick. We’ve worked together for 18 years. There’s no coach I’d rather play for, and I’ve loved my experience here.”
Also on Saturday, Kraft told Sports Illustrated football writer Peter King that he believes Belichick will “absolutely” return to coach the team next season, and adamantly denied ESPN's assertion that Kraft, against Belichick's wishes, forced a trade of backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.
“(A) total fabrication and fiction," Kraft said of the ESPN account. "I am telling you, it’s fiction.”
As for Belichick, the coach affixed his name to a statement that the trio released Friday:
"It is unfortunate that there is even a need for us to respond to these fallacies. As our actions have shown, we stand united," the statement said in part.
