2020 Pats Off-Season: The Succession Plan...No Not Him....or Him

bakahump

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So Bob Kraft is 78. Granted medicine is amazing now. As I am sure is his medical care and quality of life. However its not out of the realm that in 1-2 or 3 years RK has either passed on, or is not up to the day to day operations of the Patriots. (maybe that time has been here and I missed the transition????)

So How do we like Jonathan? I have heard good things and bad things. He certainly has a different "air" about him in public interviews then is father. More "hard ass" then the "consiliative" deal maker role his father always seemed to be in.
Probably makes sense from a "Guy who built a business" to a "guy who runs a business" standpoint. One probably needs to be a deal maker and one probably needs to be a hardass.

Not that we have a choice....but do we trust JK with the reins after Bob? Will he be more Rooney/Mara/Hunt? Or more Ford/Davis?

I think one of the interesting things about the Brady/Belicheck window is that its coming to a head at about the same time as the RK window. Probably good that the original godfather is deciding about this Solazzo situation and that its not left to the new Godfather. Even if he does proves competent.
 

BaseballJones

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So Bob Kraft is 78. Granted medicine is amazing now. As I am sure is his medical care and quality of life. However its not out of the realm that in 1-2 or 3 years RK has either passed on, or is not up to the day to day operations of the Patriots. (maybe that time has been here and I missed the transition????)

So How do we like Jonathan? I have heard good things and bad things. He certainly has a different "air" about him in public interviews then is father. More "hard ass" then the "consiliative" deal maker role his father always seemed to be in.
Probably makes sense from a "Guy who built a business" to a "guy who runs a business" standpoint. One probably needs to be a deal maker and one probably needs to be a hardass.

Not that we have a choice....but do we trust JK with the reins after Bob? Will he be more Rooney/Mara/Hunt? Or more Ford/Davis?

I think one of the interesting things about the Brady/Belicheck window is that its coming to a head at about the same time as the RK window. Probably good that the original godfather is deciding about this Solazzo situation and that its not left to the new Godfather. Even if he does proves competent.
I think what may be helpful is that JK gets to watch BB work. He has spent 20 years now with the greatest coach and coach/GM of all time. He has probably learned so much about what it means to just let a good (well, in this case, great) coach do his thing and not interfere with that. He has probably learned much about the value of hiring good people. I guess what I'm saying is that it's hard to imagine a better situation to be groomed for leadership than he's had with the Patriots.

Doesn't mean he won't screw it up, but I'd suggest that odds are pretty good he'll succeed Robert and do a pretty good job as an owner.
 

Morgan's Magic Snowplow

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I think JK will be fine.

The most important thing is to have an owner that is willing to spend money, doesn't involve themselves in the football side of the business, and has decent enough managerial/people skills to maintain good working relationships with those football people. I don't see any reason to believe that JK won't check those boxes.

Having a good owner is vital but RK isn't a unicorn. He's just a guy who checks those boxes and was lucky enough to hire Bill Belichick.
 

biff_hardbody

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Bob Kraft had great business foresight at a young age and pursued Belicheck specifically, extracting him from a difficult situation in order to get his guy. Kraft is often referred to as one of the most respected owners in the NFL among other owners. Jonathan may be a great owner but I think to say all he has to do is "check the boxes" undersells the high standard Bob has established.

Edit - Kraft did not hire Parcells
 
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Harry Hooper

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Orthwein hired Parcells. Kraft inherited the Tuna as head coach when he bought the team.
 

Deathofthebambino

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Couple things. Jonathan Kraft has been heavily involved in the operations of the organization, including the football side for a long, long time. This is what Ty Law said about him during his speech at Canton:

"He called Patriots President Jonathan Kraft “the glue” who was “in the trenches” and that the legacy of the Patriots greats was in his good hands."

It's been a long time since I read it, but in Holley's book "Patriot Reign," I distinctly remember him crediting Jonathan as the guy who was literally the man behind the "valuation" of players on the market. Everyone in the organization gives him a ton of credit for this dynasty. I have literally no concerns about JK taking over the mantel from RK.

As for the next head coach, if it's not Josh, everyone should keep this name in mind. Berj Najarian. If you don't know who he is, Google him. Here's an article (one of many that have sprinkled around over the years) about him:

https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/patriots/2019/01/31/who-mysterious-berj-najarian-bill-belichick-right-hand-man/PdvKUC9ZQcxttHhmYVFk5M/story.html
 

Ralphwiggum

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I give BK credit for the following:

1. Buying the team from Orthwein and keeping it in New England. By all accounts this was somewhat of a stretch for him and his family financially at the time, and the Pats were not a marquee NFL franchise by a long shot.
2. Building Gillette Stadium mostly with private financing. Say what you will about his game of footsie with CT but he walked away from a much more lucrative deal for him and his family to keep the team in Foxboro.
3. Hiring BB, obviously. Though even in his wildest dreams there is no way he could have known how successful Belichick would become in New England.
4. Generally staying out of the football decisions for the better part of 25 years.

1 and 2 won't be issues for whoever takes over. 3 could be, if BB outlasts Kraft and the new owner has to hire the new coach. But regardless of who takes over this is going to be hard. The guy who follows the best and most successful coach in NFL history is going to have a tough job. Hopefully for #4 if it is Jonathan he's learned from watching his Dad, I personally don't see this as much of an issue, but I guess we'll see.

Having a top notch owner is important, look at the mess in Washington DC to see what happens when you don't. But BK has been grooming Jonathan for this for a while now so I worry less about the succession plan for ownership than I do for coach and QB.
 

Al Zarilla

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78 is the new 68. Other than his dalliance at the Orchids, has Kraft shown any sign of mental or physical degradation. How old is Jerry Jones? I get 77 Googling, but he looks a lot older than Kraft to me. More Googling shows Kraft to be the 7th oldest, and two owners are in their 90s. I think this thread is too early and inappropriate.
 

Cotillion

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So long as Jonathan isn't a guy that will switch coaches willy nilly, he should be fine. I think a lot of owners get in trouble cause they never give the coach time to get their program fully up and running. In a lot of respects, Bill getting that Super Bowl in the 2nd year really helped to cement him in place. What happens if they followed up 5-11 with a 7-8 campaign, 6-10, or 5-11 again?

The Key is you can't just jettison coaches every 2-3 years, constantly changing up philosophy (and the associate type of talent needed to run that philosophy), etc. and have any hope of ever being good.

It takes anywhere from 2-4 years to get all the right pieces in place to do what you want to do as a coach.

Unless someone is just a total shitshow with no hope (ala Freddie Kitchens).
 

DourDoerr

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Is there evidence or at least an informed sense that JK will be independently wealthy (i.e. not dependent on NEP revenue)? Some teams are undone by an owner's need to adhere to a strict budget. Heck, we've seen this firsthand a couple of times in Foxboro.
 

bakahump

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Well Bob has a net worth of about 7 Billion according to Google. Obviously that will grow.
Pats (and other sports teams/stadium) are probably 2-3 of that.
He has 4 sons according to Google.
Assuming he leaves the bulk of his estate to the kids and not Charity or a Stripmall worker....and Assuming JK has made some hefty Paychecks through the years and has some sizable assets of his own then JK should come out CLOSE to being a Billionaire.
(also ignoring tax implications as I assume that someone this wealthy has taken steps to protect the wealth).

Also according to wikipedia Krafts fortune is in "Packaging and Paper" (largest in the US). It would surprise me if some portion of his company isnt taking advantage of the current climate and creating paper straws, recyclable and eco friendly packaging etc etc. All of which I assume is a growing market. Again so its not like his company is making Film Cameras.

Not exactly the richest but should be ok I would assume :)

Edit:
Have we seen the Strict Budget in the NFL? I thought pretty much every team spends up to the cap. If your spending to the cap there isnt much more you can do (I guess hire more expensive coaches?? or Buy Airplanes :) )
 

Marciano490

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78 is the new 68. Other than his dalliance at the Orchids, has Kraft shown any sign of mental or physical degradation. How old is Jerry Jones? I get 77 Googling, but he looks a lot older than Kraft to me. More Googling shows Kraft to be the 7th oldest, and two owners are in their 90s. I think this thread is too early and inappropriate.
One could argue the trip to Orchads was a sign of continued physical stamina.
 

Mugsy's Jock

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So How do we like Jonathan? I have heard good things and bad things. He certainly has a different "air" about him in public interviews then is father. More "hard ass" then the "consiliative" deal maker role his father always seemed to be in.
I wouldn't underrate RK's ability to be a hard ass, at least behind closed doors. I heard tell that when he was on the compensation committee as a board member at Viacom, he was always the most agressive in trying to contain payroll and headcount. And I'll bet the network executives negotiating for broadcast rights have their hands more than full working with RK on the other side of the table.
 

loshjott

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Is there evidence or at least an informed sense that JK will be independently wealthy (i.e. not dependent on NEP revenue)? Some teams are undone by an owner's need to adhere to a strict budget. Heck, we've seen this firsthand a couple of times in Foxboro.
For that matter, do we know for sure that RK intends to bequeath the Patriots to JK? Before you laugh, former Washington NFL team team owner Jack Kent Cooke opted not to bequeath that team to his son John Kent Cooke. John was the presumed successor but when he died, instead "acting on Jack’s wishes, the trustees of his estate sold the R*dskins and the stadium in Landover, Md., to Daniel Snyder for a reported $800 million and used the proceeds to establish the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation. By doing so, it became virtually impossible for John to keep the team." Link.

John was Team President and presumed successor but Jack wanted to start a foundation, so....Daniel Snyder.
 

DourDoerr

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Thanks for that info, bakahump. So it sounds like JK will be wealthy but not crazy wealthy. A little concerning, particularly if there are any downturns in his investments and he needs cash. Could say that about any owner, of course, but more money likely equals more insulation. By the way, I haven't missed a game in the last 20 years, read a lot about the Pats in that time and still was surprised to learn RK has 4 sons. Have only seen JK who must be Ivanka to the other 3 Tiffany's.

You're probably right on strict budgets regarding players' salaries in the cap era, but yes, things like coaches' salaries become a factor. Do you want the best HC candidate or that "up and comer" (meaning cheap) college coach (with the proviso that some college coaches are true innovators, leaders of men, etc.)? Retaining a valuable assistant, for example, with the money they gave to Josh might not be an option if the owner's tight. Facilities (stadium, training center - admittedly shouldn't be a big factor in the short term), planes, etc. are things that might impact a win total and the NEP might suffer if they have to compromise. Although it fortunately hasn't been a concern during the RK era, a team owner's wealth might be best classified as a necessary luxury for the stability required for longterm success.

BTW - kudos on the thread title.
 

Kliq

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You never know how good someone is going to be until they sit in the chair, but what we do know about Jonathan seems to be positive and he has sat next to Bob for 25 years and watched the dynasty unfold, if not being an integral part of the success. I would be more worried if we didn't see Kraft's kids at all and we had no idea who would take over after him, similar to what we are seeing in New Orleans with the Benson family.
 

Kliq

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Thanks for that info, bakahump. So it sounds like JK will be wealthy but not crazy wealthy. A little concerning, particularly if there are any downturns in his investments and he needs cash. Could say that about any owner, of course, but more money likely equals more insulation. By the way, I haven't missed a game in the last 20 years, read a lot about the Pats in that time and still was surprised to learn RK has 4 sons. Have only seen JK who must be Ivanka to the other 3 Tiffany's.

You're probably right on strict budgets regarding players' salaries in the cap era, but yes, things like coaches' salaries become a factor. Do you want the best HC candidate or that "up and comer" (meaning cheap) college coach (with the proviso that some college coaches are true innovators, leaders of men, etc.)? Retaining a valuable assistant, for example, with the money they gave to Josh might not be an option if the owner's tight. Facilities (stadium, training center - admittedly shouldn't be a big factor in the short term), planes, etc. are things that might impact a win total and the NEP might suffer if they have to compromise. Although it fortunately hasn't been a concern during the RK era, a team owner's wealth might be best classified as a necessary luxury for the stability required for longterm success.

BTW - kudos on the thread title.
Would Jonathan be the sole owner of the team, or would it belong to the Kraft family, with Jonathan as the president and figurehead? I imagine it would be the latter, so while the Kraft fortune may be divided up among the Kraft children/grandchildren, I doubt the Kraft family is going to have any trouble signing the checks for the Patriots.
 

Mystic Merlin

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I’d think RK would figure out how to put a large chunk of his assets behind the team.

The JKK story is highly exceptional; the overwhelming odds are in favor of him handing team operations to JK. Hell, he by all accounts I’ve read runs the team today. I have to think they’ve discussed the succession many times, too.
 

bankshot1

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Re Succession-maybe RK can get his buddy DJT to pass a Steinbrenner loophole to pass the team tax-free to heirs.

I would think the team gets left to a trust to minimize the tax consequences to any one individual. Maybe it goes to grand kids with JK as chairman of the trust.

and whats a discussion of Succesion without some background music?

FUCK OFF

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlgWqcHXD8w&list=RDLlgWqcHXD8w&start_radio=1&t=10
 

lexrageorge

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With regards to the financial health of the owners, it can make a difference in what a team spends on the margins.

To a large extent, the CBA does even the playing field. Teams can spend no less than 88% of the salary cap in any given year (salary floor), and obviously no team can go over. However, the cap has risen on average of 5.7% annually since the latest CBA took effect in 2011. That's a healthy increase, and it's what allows teams to offer large signing bonuses and guarantees to big name players in free agency (or to retain/extend their own pending free agents). There may be a dead cap charge at some point, but it's a one year thing, and it's a lower percentage of the salary cap by the time the charge comes due.

A less well off franchise would not want to commit as much up front money to a player, and would probably be more likely to spend to the salary floor and no further. And the difference could matter on the margins when it comes to attracting even 2nd tier free agents, as well as retaining their own players.
 

RedOctober3829

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Couple things. Jonathan Kraft has been heavily involved in the operations of the organization, including the football side for a long, long time. This is what Ty Law said about him during his speech at Canton:

"He called Patriots President Jonathan Kraft “the glue” who was “in the trenches” and that the legacy of the Patriots greats was in his good hands."

It's been a long time since I read it, but in Holley's book "Patriot Reign," I distinctly remember him crediting Jonathan as the guy who was literally the man behind the "valuation" of players on the market. Everyone in the organization gives him a ton of credit for this dynasty. I have literally no concerns about JK taking over the mantel from RK.

As for the next head coach, if it's not Josh, everyone should keep this name in mind. Berj Najarian. If you don't know who he is, Google him. Here's an article (one of many that have sprinkled around over the years) about him:

https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/patriots/2019/01/31/who-mysterious-berj-najarian-bill-belichick-right-hand-man/PdvKUC9ZQcxttHhmYVFk5M/story.html
Yeah Berj is not a football coach. He is everything else to the organization, but he will not be the next head coach.
 

Harry Hooper

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Yeah Berj is not a football coach. He is everything else to the organization, but he will not be the next head coach.
Some recent talk that Judge was next in line. BB's strong endorsement of him taking the Giants job suggests BB plans on being in Foxborough for a good stretch.
 

Hoya81

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I’d think RK would figure out how to put a large chunk of his assets behind the team.

The JKK story is highly exceptional; the overwhelming odds are in favor of him handing team operations to JK. Hell, he by all accounts I’ve read runs the team today. I have to think they’ve discussed the succession many times, too.
There could be some legal entanglements. 3 out of the 4 sons are involved with the Kraft Group to some degree. From what I can glean, Daniel runs the paper and packaging business. Joshua Kraft is president of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston and also runs the Patriots foundation.

The wild card is David Kraft, who worked for the Kraft Group until 2012 or so and left after some sort of dispute with RKK, sued the Kraft Family trust in 2013, after which he essentially disappeared.