Robert Kraft’s Absence Was Noticed

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft will miss a key event this weekend. He is recovering from back surgery and will be unable to attend Rob Gronkowski's induction into the team's Hall of Fame on Saturday or Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers.

Kraft, 85, told ESPN on Thursday that his doctors had advised him to stay in bed. He also won't be able to travel with the team to Munich, Germany, for the game on November 15.

Gronkowski was elected to the Patriots Hall of Fame by fans in April. He follows Julian Edelman (2025), Tom Brady (2024), and current head coach Mike Vrabel (2023).

An Era of Dominance

Since purchasing the team in 1994, Kraft has presided over a period of unprecedented success. The Patriots have won six Super Bowls and ten American Football Conference titles under his leadership—the most Super Bowl victories by any owner in NFL history.

On Wednesday, the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced that Kraft is among the five builders who have advanced to the next stage of the selection process for the Class of 2027. He had not been elected in 2026.

Gronkowski, for his part, was one of the pillars of this dynasty. Drafted in the second round in 2010 out of the University of Arizona, he played nine seasons in Foxborough, from 2010 to 2018. During that time, he was part of nine Eastern Division championship teams, eight AFC Championship Game appearances, and five AFC titles, in addition to winning three Super Bowls.

The tight end will be honored on Saturday, even without the presence of the man who built the Patriots' empire.

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