Robert Kraft will have to wait at least another year before he reaches the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The New England Patriots owner, who has made a concerted effort to become entrenched in Canton in recent years, was passed over by the Hall’s contributors committee in favor of NFL co-founder Ralph Hay, according to Don Van Natta Jr. from ESPN.
Kraft paper was previously a favorite to be anchored, especially with the introduction of the contribution committee. Previously, Kraft had to compete with coaches for induction because a single subcommittee was responsible for choosing non-player names for the vote, but this year he only had to beat out other owners, executives and various figures in the game.
So it’s a bit of a surprise that Kraft didn’t make the cut, as one ESPN source bluntly put it:
“It’s a huge surprise,” said a source, who insisted on anonymity. “And it’s very disappointing. Unless you’re an NFL historian, you don’t know who Ralph Hay is.”
Hay, who died in 1944, owned the Canton Bulldogs from 1918 to 1923. Those five years of ownership included the rally organized by Hay that led to the creation of the first incarnation of the NFL.
Kraft’s resume is a little different. The 83-year-old bought a controlling stake in the Patriots in 1994 and has since led the most successful franchise of the 21st century. Many will credit Tom Brady and Bill Belichick more for those six Super Bowls, but Kraft has made it pretty clear that he believes he deserves at least some responsibility.
Earlier this year, it was reported that Kraft’s camp has been privately advocating for his enshrinement for about a decade, lobbying voters overseeing both a book and docuseries about the Patriots dynasty that portray him in a very favorable light . The fact that Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is already here is apparently a sore spot.
Of course, Kraft’s tenure in the NFL isn’t flawless, between the Patriots cheating scandals and his own incident at a Florida massage parlor. He can only hope that the voters who matter think differently next year.
