Roger Goodell insisted it would be an “honor” if he ended up presenting the Super Bowl trophy to the Patriots and quarterback Tom Brady, and the NFL commissioner said it with a straight face.
Goodell, of course, suspended Brady four games this season for his role in Deflategate, and has been vilified in the New England area. Goodell, however, said he would have no problem being put in a situation in which he would hand the Vince Lombardi Trophy to Brady.
“Not for a second,” he told Fox Sports Radio’s “The Herd” on Wednesday. “Tom Brady is one of the all-time greats. He has been for several years. He’s on the precipice of at least potentially winning his fifth Super Bowl ring.
“He’s an extraordinary player, great performer and a sure-fire Hall of Famer. So it would be an honor.”
Goodell also shot down the idea there is rift between himself and Patriots owner Robert Kraft, who has been critical of his handling of the Deflategate case — including telling the New York Times: “Sometimes the league really messes up, and I think they really messed this up badly.”
“I wouldn’t be doing my job if somebody wasn’t unhappy with a decision that you make or where you’re doing it,” Goodell said. “Robert and I can disagree about things. We have a healthy respect for one another, but that’s true with any owner. That doesn’t affect my relationship or the fact we work together to try to make the NFL better. That’s the most important thing going for us.
“I can’t agree with everybody at every moment and I shouldn’t. … It’s not personal. It’s professional, and it’s to make sure we’re doing everything to protect the great game we have and to promote it.”
Goodell hasn’t attended a Patriots game since Deflategate, and it made national headlines when he opted to attend the NFC Championship on Sunday, rather than the Patriots-Steelers AFC title game. It was the second straight week he was in Atlanta.
“We had two great games. I was in Boston two years ago for the divisional and the championship games. I try to get to as many stadiums as I can,” the commissioner said. “We have two great games and you’ve got to choose. And frankly, the focus should be on the players, the coaches and the great game. That’s the way it was this weekend, and the way it should be.”
