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After Jeopardizing Bill Belichick’s NFL Future, Kraft Family’s Eliot Wolf Puppeteering Set to Threaten Owner’s HOF Candidacy

Published 04/23/2024, 1:31 AM EDT

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Brace yourselves, because a new storm is brewing in the Patriots camp. It’s centered around the Kraft family’s control over the franchise’s decision-making. As @SavageSports lamented on X, “The Patriots are becoming exactly what we didn’t want them to be.”

Whispers are swirling that Eliot Wolf, the man leading the charge for the Patriots, is nothing more than a puppet, with Jonathan Kraft “heavily involved in the decision-making,” according to reports from @DMRussini. And this level of meddling could very well jeopardize Robert Kraft’s chances of earning a coveted spot in the Hall of Fame.

The Kraft family’s influence has long been felt in Foxborough, but this degree of control is unprecedented. When the owner’s son overrides the football experts, it’s a clear sign that things might have gone awry, prompting outrage from fans and analysts “absolute stupidity in the wake of the Bill Belichick firing.”

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And caught in the crossfire is none other than Robert Kraft himself. His pursuit of a gold jacket, a symbol of his legacy in the game, hangs in the balance as this puppeteering fiasco unfolds. As @TheSportsFellow reported, Kraft’s Hall of Fame bid is in danger, with voters expressing concerns about the “The Dynasty” series and his active campaigning.

Despite wanting to move on from Belichick after the disastrous 2022 season, a source close to Robert Kraft revealed that “Jonathan Kraft talked him out of it.” However, this decision ultimately backfired, leading to the Patriots’ worst campaign in nearly two decades and potentially costing Kraft his Hall of Fame induction in 2023.

As the on-field product continues to spiral, the real drama unfolds behind closed doors. The Kraft family’s power plays threaten to undo decades of hard work, casting a shadow over one of football’s most iconic franchises. Evidently, it unknowingly also drags down the veteran Belichick who has been an eminent part of this legacy.

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A blow to Bill Belichick’s NFL future

Let’s shift our attention to the elephant in the room – Bill Belichick’s coaching future, or lack thereof, following his departure from the Patriots. According to ESPN’s stunning report, it wasn’t just the usual suspects like age and ego that derailed Belichick’s job hunt. No, this one has the Kraft family’s fingerprints all over it.

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The report details how Robert Kraft offered Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank an “unflattering assessment” of Belichick, cautioning that the coach was “untrustworthy” and suggesting he would never have a “warm conversation” with him. While Kraft claimed to only offer praise for Belichick, multiple sources confirmed that the Kraft family felt “betrayed” by the coach, with one source stating, “I don’t think they’d try to hurt Belichick. But I don’t think they’d try to help him either.”

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The report also shed light on how Belichick’s totalitarian coaching style and reluctance to relinquish control over personnel decisions played a role in his failed job hunt. Teams like the Falcons and Eagles were unwilling to bring on board an “older, stoic coach who’d blow up the building,” especially for a coach who might only be around for a few more years. Nevertheless, what do you think of the grey clouds surrounding the Patriots and role Bill Belichick’s exit might have to play in the same?

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Written by:

Sanu Abraham

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Sanu Abraham is an NFL writer at EssentiallySports. As a passionate football fan, he brings fresh perspectives and new ideas to the coverage of the sport and its many exciting personalities. He seeks to write lively and engaging articles that play to his expertise.
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Edited by:

Aazima Basharat