SOURCES: Robert Kraft is 'strongly considering' suing the NFL

I am not convinced that the NFL will take Kraft seriously if he just threatens a lawsuit. IMO, Kraft needs to be aggressive and file the lawsuit and prepare for an all out battle with the NFL. Right now, the NFL is just laughing in his and his team's face, as they try to destroy the franchise's reputation and business value. Time for Kraft to channel a bit of Churchill and take the fight to the NFL.

You file the lawsuit, you make them go through discovery and keep rejecting any offers they make for a settlement until the very last possible second.

Make them sweat as much as possible and get as much out of it as you can without actually going through with stripping the exemption away from the league.

1960Pats said:

Kraft doesn't seem like the type of guy you screw with. He has to be thinking; fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. I expect him to do something this time.

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Let's hope so

BronxPatsFan80 said:

Time for Kraft to channel a bit of Churchill and take the fight to the NFL.

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QuantumMechanic said:

It won't happen, because Kraft doesn't want to cost himself millions and millions, but in my dream world I can imagine that Kraft tells Goodell and the owners "give me back the draft picks or I am filing an anti-trust lawsuit seeking to end the draft completely and make all incoming players be true free agents."

Frankly, I'm at the point where I want to see the whole thing burn down and f**k'em all over.

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Kraft is worth over $4 Billion and he's 73 years old. How much more money does he need to make?
If I were in his position, I'd be infinitely more concerned about vengeance against those who've wronged me than making another billion for my bratty kids to quibble over once I'm dead, but that's just me.

YOUGOTMOSSED said:

Kraft is worth over $4 Billion and he's 73 years old. How much more money does he need to make?
If I were in his position, I'd be infinitely more concerned about vengeance against those who've wronged me than making another billion for my bratty kids to quibble over once I'm dead, but that's just me.

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Not to mention he's concerned with how his legacy will be remembered...why shouldn't he stand up for everything he's built?

lurker1965 said:

I'm not a lawyer, but I'm not stupid. There are tactical reasons to NOT sue the NFL. Sue Well's company.

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I see a few people are disagreeing. Let me explain why this is the best option so that even they might understand.
After Al Davis sued the league in the '80s Owners added some clause to make it harder for team owners to sue the league. Then we get to the fact that Kraft is 1/32 of the league. Then we get to competitive balance and sacrificing for the greater good,, yadda, yadda, yadda. (Why don't you already know this?)

Suing Wells (or his company) is a way to get around all of that and it gives the league an out. "We relied on an erroneous report. Good Heavens. We thank and apologize to Bob Kraft..."
That this needs to be explained pains me.

We've been bombarded with sources, rumours, and hope. And - at each corner - we are met with just the opposite. I've given up hope. I want to be wrong, but I think (1) the picks are gone (2) the haters now have the renewed arrows to sling - regardless how ridiculous the arguments/misinformation are (3) Brady will "win an appeal" getting the 2 games the NFL wanted all along.

I have no faith in the League office. None. Kraft won't sue. Want him to - believe it when I see it.

Dr Pain said:

Penalty against Brady should go away with the path he has. My guess is penalties against Patriots stand and other than the first rounder I don't care but what this battle is about is getting rid of Goodell and the Jets rats nest now.

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I would generally agree but Kraft has to think long and hard about not only deflate gate but future allegations against his team. Other teams and Goodell will continue to come up with BS rule violations to try and knock the Pats off the top of the mountain. We could possible loose 2 1st round draft picks in 8 years. That is insane. Goodell and his cronies will continue to screw the Pats if they know Kraft won't fight back. IMO, anything more than a team fine of $25K and no suspension for Brady would be considered a loss for Kraft.

Curious about venue. Brady's home is now in Massachusetts so he can file suit here, correct? Is there something in the CBA, or any other agreements, that restrict the venues that are available to him?

If Kraft/Brady can get a MA venue, maybe they have a shot.

grux said:

I would generally agree but Kraft has to think long and hard about not only deflate gate but future allegations against his team. Other teams and Goodell will continue to come up with BS rule violations to try and knock the Pats off the top of the mountain. We could possible loose 2 1st round draft picks in 8 years. That is insane. Goodell and his cronies will continue to screw the Pats if they know Kraft won't fight back. IMO, anything more than a team fine of $25K and no suspension for Brady would be considered a loss for Kraft.

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You're right. This nonsense has got to come to an end.....for good

Another consideration, what if somehow everything is overturned? They vacate the fine, suspension, give the draft picks back, and Goodell agrees to announce his resignation at 1/2 time for the home opener.

Does this assure that all the NY Rats personnel in the league office have been eradicated? Does this assure that another NY superfan isn't appoint as the next commissioner?

He has to do whatever it takes to get that #1 back. Partly because we need it and partly so he can look himself in the mirror. I'm not lawyer, antitrust, unfair labor, I don't know that stuff but he has to threaten anything and everything (including Europe games, L.A. team) to get that pick back.

someone reminded me today that the lawsuit against the NFL by the NFL PA was filed as Brady Vs. The NFL. Wow. Revenge against the flag bearer for the NFL PA?

I think going after the anti trust status will benefit the Pats in the long run. Right now, small market teams profit the most with the anti trust. The Pats being a large market team with good ownership and management would kill the rest of the league if things became a free for all (no draft, no national TV contract, no sharing other revenue sources, etc). The Green Bay, Jacksonville and other small market owners should be kissing Krafts butt, praying that he doesn't go after the anti trust exemption.

Palm Beach Pats Fan said:

It should be centered around defamation of character and libel. There were multiple provably false "leaks" to the media that were allowed to stand without correction, willful errors that did irreparable damage to the brand. Some of the leakers will need to be identified though. It is a travesty that the Wells report ignored the corrupt aftermath COMPLETELY.

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Yes, and these are the same a-holes who wanted TB to turn over his phone records, with "guarantees" of no leaks. Right there is defense for Bradys decision not to.

lurker1965 said:

I see a few people are disagreeing. Let me explain why this is the best option so that even they might understand.
After Al Davis sued the league in the '80s Owners added some clause to make it harder for team owners to sue the league. Then we get to the fact that Kraft is 1/32 of the league. Then we get to competitive balance and sacrificing for the greater good,, yadda, yadda, yadda. (Why don't you already know this?)

Suing Wells (or his company) is a way to get around all of that and it gives the league an out. "We relied on an erroneous report. Good Heavens. We thank and apologize to Bob Kraft..."
That this needs to be explained pains me.

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Wells didnt punish the patriots, the league did. What good would suing him do?

Sfpat said:

The Green Bay, Jacksonville and other small market owners should be kissing Krafts butt, praying that he doesn't go after the anti trust exemption.

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And those owners should be pressured into voting no on stuff like an L.A. team to put pressure on the league. "Vote no or we go after the antitrust exemption". Use it to slow progress of things the league wants; it won't take long until they give us our picks back.

The owners have a lot to lose in making Kraft an enemy. Not only the anti-trust exemption. But Kraft was also the conciliator who brought together the small market and large market teams.

Something tells me that his best friends in the league, Snyder and Jerry Jones, etc., probably wouldn't mind Kraft becoming angry and ornery with half the league. They are probably egging him on.

Kraft can do a lot of damage here by getting rid of parity.

I agree that Kraft needs to take a stand or Goodell will make up a reason to pull picks from the Pats anytime he needs to gain favor with the other owners. I like the idea of suing Wells, if nothing else other than to get Goodell's phone records and expose him as the incompetent phony that he is.

If Kraft really wants to pull the nuclear button, he could threaten the have the team boycot the 2015 season unless the draft picks are restored. This would send a strong message to the public and do significant damage to the league, forever staining Goodell. Why play in a league that does everything possible to put you at a disadvantage?

I'm seeing a lot of comments in this thread about Kraft going after the NFL's antitrust exemption. Kraft doesn't need to challenge the NFL's antitrust exemption, which benefits him as much as anyone, to sue the NFL in court. Unions have an antitrust exemption and they get sued all the time. If Kraft sues the NFL it will most likely be for breach of contract. The argument would be that the NFL acted arbitrarily and capriciously in punishing the Patriots without justification and thereby violated an implied duty of good faith and fair dealing under the contract. The question would be whether Kraft has contractually waived his right to sue the league, either because it's prohibited by the NFL's constitution or by some other agreement Kraft has made with the league.