Robert Kraft: New England Patriots Owner Says He Requested Return of 1st-Round Draft Pick From NFL

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft is looking to get back the team's first-round pick. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

By Dave Martin

Dave Martin

Dave Martin is a New-York based writer as well as editor. He is the sports editor for the Epoch Times and is a consultant to private writers.

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March 21, 2016Updated: March 21, 2016

biggersmaller

Robert Kraft, the New England Patriots owner, said he wrote a letter to Roger Goodell, the NFL’s commissioner, over a month ago asking for the first-round pick that was surrendered as part of the “deflategate” scandal punishment be returned.

#Patriots owner Robert Kraft says he personally wrote a letter to the commissioner and laid out case to get back first-round pick.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 21, 2016

New England was fined $1 million and had to forfeit a first-round pick in 2016 and a and fourth-round selection in 2017 as punishment.

Robert Kraft wrote Roger Goodell a later asking ‘Pleeeeeeease can we have our draft picks back.’https://t.co/NNQFJCDhlI

— SB Nation NFL (@SBNationNFL) March 21, 2016

Kraft has said before that he accepted the league’s punishment in hopes it would lighten the punishment on star quarterback Tom Brady. That tactic didn’t work, at first, as the NFL gave Brady a four-game suspension—though a court threw out Brady’s punishment. The NFL and NFLPA are now back in court as the league seeks to reinstate his suspension.

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