The owners would have been more than happy to escalate the situation and fire Goodell after the Ray Rice incedent. Care to guess who stood up for Goodell in his most trying time?
Kraft just got stabbed in the back by Goodell's power play. He probably knows that the majority of owners are behind him on this. He saw an opportunity to solidify his position, and took it. Kraft got what he deserved for sitting on his hands and only speaking out when Goodell was taking heat. Kraft just got destroyed because he was the last one to figure Goodell out. Kraft got what he deserved, but now we all get to suffer for it.
Maybe this stuff goes to an independent decision maker, maybe they overturn every bit of it. But one thing is clear: Kraft got KO'ed by a blind side right hook from the NFL front office that every spectator saw coming a couple rounds before it landed.
Goodell has been playing chess while Kraft was playing checkers.