NFL teams
Mike Reiss, ESPN Staff Writer 9y

Patriots owner: Players not affected

NFL, New England Patriots

PHOENIX -- New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft downplayed the impact his public defense of the team might have on players leading into Super Bowl XLIX.

"By and large, except for our quarterback, they're not paying much attention to it. I think they think it's a bunch of hogwash," Kraft said Tuesday at media day.

Kraft mostly deflected questions relating to what he said Monday, when he requested an apology from the NFL should it not find definitive evidence that the Patriots tampered with their footballs.

Kraft relayed that he had debated speaking publicly on the topic, making the decision to do so after sitting next to his son, team president Jonathan Kraft, on the flight to Phoenix. That's when he wrote his remarks.

When told the league's investigation into the underinflated footballs has affected some fans' enjoyment in the Super Bowl, Kraft shook his head.

"I'm one of them," he said. "I'm a fan at heart. I want to enjoy this game, and I want to make things clear how we do things. I believe in my guys and we're going to have a fun time the rest of this week and have a great game Sunday."

Kraft said he received positive feedback internally about his remarks, but didn't want to detail what was said.

"I think they were appreciative, but I don't think it was a surprise," he said. "This business is a very complicated, hard business that can be very cruel at times. It's like family, a marriage ... it's important to always be together on the same page even when you might have minor disagreements.

"I can tell you, we at the top of the Patriots, my family and our key people, are all one. That was the message I tried to express yesterday."

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