New England Patriots Owner Looks Pretty Annoyed During Sunday's Game
12/15/2024 06:15 PM
The New England Patriots had another inauspicious start to their Week 15 matchup that appeared to displease Jonathan Kraft.
New England went into halftime of Sunday's game trailing 13-3 to the Arizona Cardinals. Although rookie quarterback Drake Maye completed all 10 of his pass attempts, the offense mustered 89 total yards on 24 plays and didn't convert a third-down attempt.
Late in the second quarter, Antonio Gibson lost five yards on a second-down run. Right after the play, the CBS broadcast cut to Jonathan and Robert Kraft watching in a suite at State Farm Stadium.
The younger Kraft motioned his hand toward the field and shook his hand in apparent disappointment. He nodded along as his father talked, and many lip-reading sleuths believe Jonathan said "terrible" in his response.
Here's a look at the moment, courtesy of John Zannis:
Someone lip read this. Sure looks like Jonathan Kraft is frustrated by what's happening down on the field. Shaking his head. Also, it appears he's scrolling down some notes? pic.twitter.com/V0a9ZTsMNt
— John Zannis (@John_Zannis) December 15, 2024
The Kraft family hoped for better results in 2024 after going 4-13 in the franchise's worst season of the 21st century. They made the difficult decision to replace iconic head coach Bill Belichick for Jerod Mayo after 24 seasons.
New England got off to a promising start in Week 1 by upsetting the Cincinnati Bengals. However, the Patriots have since lost 10 of their last 12 games.
The Patriots entered Sunday with the NFL's second-fewest yards and points. Since watching Tom Brady leave, they haven't ranked higher than 15th in total offense.
On the bright side, Maye has teased considerable upside during a promising debut. Still, a former dynasty is already eliminated from playoff contention.
However, the Patriots aren't considering another coaching change this offseason. According to The Athletic's Dianna Russini, Robert Kraft "privately assured" people near him that he'll give Mayo more time to settle into the role.
"The organization understood from the start that this wouldn't be seamless," Russini wrote in her weekly column. "Transitioning into a high-pressure role like this, especially following the legendary Belichick, comes with a steep learning curve, and mistakes were expected. The Krafts want to allow Mayo the opportunity to find his voice, establish his footing, and develop into the leader they believe he can be."
The Patriots are still looking to give the Krafts something to cheer for by reaching the end zone at Arizona.
Related: Patriots Have Reportedly Made Decision On Jerod Mayo For 2025
