Patriots Owner Robert Kraft Denied Pro Football Hall of Fame Honor Again

Kraft has been eligible for Hall of Fame induction for 13 years.
Kraft has been eligible for Hall of Fame induction for 13 years. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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Robert Kraft will be left waiting for his bust in Canton.

On Thursday, the New England Patriots owner was reportedly denied a spot in the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class by the organization's contributor committee. The nine-member committee instead picked NFL co-founder Ralph Hay for the honor. Hay was the owner of the Canton Bulldogs from 1918 through 1922. He will be considered along with one coaching candidate, and three candidates from an earlier NFL era. Those names have not yet been revealed.

The decision was reportedly made on November 12 and will be announced next month.

This was the 13th time Kraft has been considered for the honor by the contributor committee and has failed to find approval. Eighty percent of voters must approve the nominated finalists for induction into the Hall of Fame.

Kraft has owned the Patriots since 1994 and the team has won six Super Bowls on his watch, while winning 10 AFC championships. He is arguably the most successful owner in NFL history but will be left waiting for his induction once again.


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Ryan Phillips
RYAN PHILLIPS

Ryan Phillips is a senior writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He has worked in digital media since 2009, spending eight years at The Big Lead before joining SI in 2024. Phillips also co-hosts The Assembly Call Podcast about Indiana Hoosiers basketball and previously worked at Bleacher Report. He is a proud San Diego native and a graduate of Indiana University’s journalism program.