The New England Patriots received difficult-to-hear news Friday when owner Robert Kraft was charged with soliciting prostitution.
After winning Super Bowl No. 6 for the franchise and putting forth one of their most impressive seasons, the Patriots must again deal with scandal. Typically, a player or coach involved in an allegation is released if the reports are bad enough. Kraft has owned the team since 1994 and has become a face of the Patriots — along with Bill Belichick and Tom Brady.
So, where do the Patriots go from here?
Kraft is a well-respected owner who has made a positive impression on incoming players. Through all of the cheating scandals and accusations, he has made it appealing for players and coaches to be a part of his organization. Of course, winning plays a huge role, but this situation could deter future players or coaches from the organization — or even current ones.
The Patriots currently have free agents Trey Flowers, Stephen Gostkowski, Cordarrelle Patterson and others who could decide to leave the team due to this situation. Rob Gronkowski has mulled retirement for over a year, and this could be the breaking point for him to exit from the NFL.
Without the presence of these key players, the locker room could go to shambles. The Patriots’ locker room consists of many high-character people who believe in being positive role models and doing the right thing. They even brought in character coach Jack Easterby to help players who struggle with real-life situations. It would be understandable if these players wanted to step away due to the situation.
The Patriots’ have made it through difficult times when it came to cheating accusations and character questions — but this one will be tough to overcome, especially for the people inside the organization.
