Tom Brady might be the greatest quarterback in New England Patriots history, but owner Robert Kraft has a different take on the franchise’s most important decision. While Brady led the team to six Super Bowl victories after being drafted 199th overall in 2000, Kraft believes another move was even more crucial to the dynasty’s success.
Why Does Robert Kraft Consider Hiring Bill Belichick His Best Decision?
Kraft purchased the Patriots for $172 million in 1994 following a hostile takeover from James Orthwein, who wanted to move the franchise to St. Louis. As a lifelong fan, Kraft made several moves over the years to transform the team into a dynasty.
However, one of his most crucial and controversial decisions came in 1999 when he literally stole Bill Belichick from the New York Jets. Belichick had been working as an assistant coach with the Jets, and when Bill Parcells resigned from his job, he was set to succeed him as head coach.
Instead, Belichick’s introductory press conference turned into a farewell speech. He announced his resignation from the Jets and was immediately named the Patriots’ head coach. Since Belichick was under contract with New York, Kraft had to send a No. 1 draft pick to complete the deal. With Belichick having had a losing record at the time, the move was highly questioned by fans and media alike.
Looking back on that decision at the Fanatics Fest in NYC, Kraft called it the best move of his career because of the risk involved.
“The one that got questioned the most was in ’99,” Kraft replied when asked about the best decision as the Patriots’ owner. “I gave up a number one draft pick for a coach who had only won a little over 40% of his games to get him out…Bill Belichick to come to the Patriots in 1999 was a big risk, and I got hammered in the Boston media, but I think he was with us for 24 years, and we did okay.”
How Did Jon Bon Jovi Influence This Historic Decision?
The story behind Kraft’s decision gets even more interesting. The Patriots’ owner revealed that the idea to hire Belichick as head coach actually came from rock star Jon Bon Jovi at the 1996 Super Bowl, which the team lost to the Green Bay Packers.
At that time, Belichick served under Parcells as assistant head coach with the Patriots. He had previously endured a disastrous first campaign as head coach with the Cleveland Browns. Despite that rough start, Bon Jovi was a big fan of Belichick’s coaching abilities. After Kraft hired him in 2000, the rock star became a diehard Patriots fan.
“On the sidelines of the 96 Super Bowl, when we were in New Orleans and playing the Green Bay Packers, my third year of ownership, Bon Jovi had been a big fan of the Bill. We were on the sidelines, and we became real good pals after that,” Kraft said to confirm that Bon Jovi pitched him about Belichick as head coach.
In hindsight, it’s easy to understand why Kraft believes hiring Belichick was the best decision of his career over drafting Brady. Belichick came with tremendous risk, which is what businessmen love to take, and the gamble paid off handsomely. Meanwhile, Brady was selected in the sixth round and came with virtually no risk. The head coach’s foresight eventually resulted in the Patriots becoming a dynasty, with that 199th overall pick becoming the centerpiece of their success.
