Robert Kraft will not be a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's 2025 class.
Kraft was passed over by a committee of contributors in favor of Ralph Hay, co-founder of the National Football League and owner of the Canton Bulldogs from 1918 to 1922. ESPN reported on Thursday.
A nine-member committee will select the names for consideration by the Pro Football Hall of Fame's 50 voters.
Kraft has been considered by the Hall of Fame committee 13 times, including this year, and each time he has not made it past that point.
In a statement to ESPN, the Hall of Fame said the finalists “will be jointly announced in early December after all committees have held selection meetings.”
The decision not to mention Kraft's name shocked at least one voter, who said it was “very disappointing” and added that few people outside of football geeks would know who Ralph Hay is. .
Another expressed anger to the media over the decision.
“Hay didn't believe players should be paid. He sold the team after just four years. I don't see how he could be considered more valuable than Bob Kraft.” said the official.
Mr. Kraft has owned the Patriots since 1994, and the franchise won six Super Bowl championships and 10 conference championships under his management.
Super Bowl Celebration at Boston City Hall on Monday, January 26, 2015. AP
Both are all-time records for an owner.
Still, several issues appear to be preventing him from being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, including the infamous Spygate scandal in 2007.
“Some voters believe he was involved in the biggest cheating scandal in NFL history.” one Hall of Fame voter told ESPN in September.. “That's a very difficult problem to overcome.”
Kraft and his supporters have been trying to convince voters to induct the Pats owner into the Hall of Fame, but it will take another year to see if they can finally enshrine the 83-year-old owner in Canton, Ohio. It seems that election activities will be necessary.
