Kevin Hart may have helped bridge the conflict between Patriots owner Robert Kraft and former head coach Bill Belichick.
After Mr. Kraft spoke for three minutes on “The Roast of Tom Brady,” which aired live on Netflix Sunday night, the unscripted comedian invited the two to do a shot on stage at the Kia Forum.
After Kraft took the stage and got a little encouragement from Hart, Belichick met the Pats’ owner near the podium.
“I want to say this is the greatest coach in the history of the game that no one has ever done,” Craft said into the microphone. “And having Tom Brady and having him there was the greatest honor His Royal Highness could have given me. So cheers!”
Belichick was the focus of many jokes during the three-hour debate to determine future Hall of Fame quarterbacks, and he also cracked one himself.
Kraft and Belichick announced the deal in January after Belichick coached New England for 24 seasons, leading them to seven Super Bowl championships, nine AFC Championships and 17 AFC East titles. announced that he would be retiring.
New England finished with a disastrous record of 4 wins and 13 losses, finishing last in the NFL. Belichick was replaced by former assistant Jerrod Mayo.
Belichick’s tenure comes after a tumultuous season that seemed to test his relationship with Kraft.
During his turn to roast Brady, Kraft referenced the tension between himself and Belichick and likened the night to a family reunion.
He then greeted Belichick, saying, “Just like any family gathering, there are some people you don’t want to see.”
Belichick’s tenure ended with an emotional press conference by his former coach.
“For me, today is a day of gratitude and celebration,” Belichick said at the time. “We had a vision to build a winning team here, to build a championship football team. The amount of success we were able to achieve together exceeded that.”
