Kraft really lit up when he retold one of his favorite stories about the time he first met quarterback Tom Brady, a scrawny kid who fell to the bottom of the sixth round in the 2000 draft. Brady joined an organization that was still employing Drew Bledsoe, who was in the process of rewriting the franchise's record books.
Yet, Brady never lacked confidence, and he created a moment Kraft will never forget.
"I still have the image of Tom Brady coming down the old Foxboro Stadium steps with that pizza box under his arm, a skinny beanpole," Kraft said. "When he introduced himself and said, 'Hi, Mr. Kraft,' and he was about to say who he was, and I [said], 'I know who you are, Tom Brady, you're our sixth-round draft choice.' And he looked me in the eye and said, 'And I'm the best decision this organization has ever made.'
"And it looks like he could be right, along with hiring Bill Belichick."
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