It was reported earlier on Monday that New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft recently wrote a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell requesting that the league return the first-round pick that was stripped from the team due to its alleged involvement in Deflategate.
Kraft said he sent a letter to the Commissioner outlining reasons for league to return pick
— Karen Guregian (@kguregian) March 21, 2016
This letter came towards the end of the 2015 season and asked the league to consider new information that became available after the NFL initially stripped the Pats of that pick.
After the league initially denied to comment on the Patriots’ request comes this report that there’s “zero chance” the Patriots will receive that first rounder back.
None of this should be considered that much of a surprise. The NFL won’t admit any wrongdoing in its investigation and the eventual punishment it handed out to the Patriots, including the loss of two drafts picks and a league-record fine. That’s now how the league has operated under Goodell.
It seemed to be more of a shot in the dark than anything else for Kraft and the Patriots, especially considering the NFL is in the process of appealing the overturn of the suspension it handed out to Tom Brady.