New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft on Wednesday said that he wants Tom Brady to keep playing for at least one more season after guiding the team to a ninth Super Bowl appearance.
Brady, 41, is to 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, Georgia.
The five-time Super Bowl winner has one more year left on a two-year deal, but has given mixed signals over the past 12 months on when he plans to retire.
However, billionaire Patriots boss Kraft said that he is desperate for Brady to prolong his partnership with head coach Bill Belichick, despite rumors 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 Good Morning America.
Meanwhile, Kraft played down reports hinting at a rift between Brady and Belichick that 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.
Brady, a three-time NFL Most Valuable Player, remains a popular figure in the Patriots locker room because of his work ethic and personality, Kraft said.
“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.”
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