From the moment Roger Goodell announced the Patriots’ punishment for their role in the “deflategate” scandal, including a $1 million fine, two lost draft picks, and the now-reversed suspension of Tom Brady, New England fans have been adamant that the Patriots should not raise their Super Bowl XLIX championship banner on opening night unless Tom Brady is present. The hashtag #NoBradyNoBanner caught fire on Twitter, making it clear that any decision to celebrate their championship without their quarterback would have been a PR nightmare for the Pats. Still, over the past few months the Kraft family remained largely silent regarding their intentions for the season-opening celebration. In the wake of Brady’s suspension being reversed, Patriots team president Jonathan Kraft opened up about the team’s plans heading into Thursday night’s kick-off. In an interview with Boston’s 98.5 The Sports Hub, Kraft confirmed that the Patriots will indeed raise their championship banner at the home opener. What was more interesting, however, was the revelation that the Patriots had other plans in store if Tom Brady’s suspension were upheld.
Kraft explained that “ ‘1’ and ‘2’ was on it. Not ‘free.’ And there may have been some other things that were on the banner. It was much more factual and substantive than that. Tom may have been a three-time Super Bowl MVP and a four-time Super Bowl winner, and that may have been a part of it too.”
Jonathan Kraft then expounded on the team’s plans for their “16-0” banner, which has been unpopular with some Patriots fans.
“Since we won another Super Bowl, nothing football-related should clutter up the football end zone other than Super Bowl banners . . . We’ll figure that one out. We might send it to Don Shula. That’s a joke!”
