The New England Patriots won six Super Bowls during Bill Belichick’s successful time as head coach – but team owner Robert Kraft still remembers the three that got away
Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, has attributed their Super Bowl LII loss to the Philadelphia Eagles to Bill Belichick.
Despite achieving six Super Bowl victories under Belichick’s leadership, Kraft remains mindful of the team’s three defeats in the NFL championship game – twice to the New York Giants and once to the Eagles. In Super Bowl LII, where they suffered a 41-33 loss to the Eagles, Belichick surprised many by sidelining star cornerback Malcolm Butler.
Kraft firmly believes that this decision significantly contributed to their defeat. While Belichick has never offered an explanation for benching Butler, Kraft views it as one of his most significant errors.
In the AppleTV documentary ‘The Dynasty,’ Kraft remarked that despite Brady’s remarkable performance of throwing over 500 yards, Belichick’s mistake was significant enough for Kraft to attribute the loss to him. Kraft openly admitted to finding Belichick a difficult figure to deal with but was willing to tolerate it as long as the team was winning.
The relationship between Belichick, Kraft, and Brady has been complex, marked by disagreements and tense moments. Despite this, Brady acknowledged Belichick positively upon announcing his retirement.
Kraft expressed dissatisfaction with Belichick allowing personal issues to disrupt the team, particularly referencing a non-football-related matter between Belichick and Malcolm that caused friction in the locker room. Kraft believed Belichick’s decisions should prioritize the team’s best interests and set emotions aside, but felt this wasn’t the case with Malcolm.
Despite potential tensions, Kraft chose to prioritize the team’s success over any personal grievances. The following season after their disagreement, the Patriots won another Super Bowl, solidifying Belichick’s status as the most successful coach in NFL history.
However, this victory marked the end of their championship-winning era, as Tom Brady left for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and won another Super Bowl. The treatment of Malcolm Butler during the 2018 season left some players feeling disgruntled, with Danny Amendola expressing frustration over the lack of explanation for Butler’s absence during the Super Bowl, feeling that they were cheated despite their efforts.
