Kraft wants ‘one more season’ of Brady, Belichick

New York (AFP) – New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft said Wednesday he wants Tom Brady to keep playing for at least one more season after guiding the NFL giants to a ninth Super Bowl appearance.

Brady, 41, will be the oldest quarterback in history to start a Super Bowl next month when he lines up for the Patriots against the Los Angeles Rams in Atlanta.

The five-time Super Bowl winner has one more year left on a two-year deal but has given mixed signals in the past 12 months over his possible retirement date.

Billionaire Patriots boss Kraft however said Wednesday he is desperate for Brady to prolong his partnership with head coach Bill Belichick, despite rumours of strained relations between the two.

“Please God: one more season of Tommy and Bill Belichick who are the best at what they do in my opinion,” Kraft told NBC television’s Good Morning America.

Kraft meanwhile played down reports hinting of a rift between Brady and Belichick which have surfaced repeatedly since late 2017.

“In anything in life the key is getting good people around you and creating a culture where everyone is open to disagree but keep it in the family, which is hard sometimes, especially in the business that’s so public,” Kraft said.

Kraft said Brady, a three-time league MVP, remained a popular figure in the Patriots locker room because of his work ethic and personality.

“He cares and he connects and I think he’s able to do that in the huddle even with guys half his age,” Kraft said. 

“They see how hard he works and what he does and how genuine he is and how he’s selfless and puts team first and I think that really spreads.”