During the New England Patriots’ Super Bowl LI celebration Wednesday at the White House, owner Robert Kraft drew a parallel between his team’s stunning championship comeback and President Donald Trump’s unprecedented election victory.
Kraft, a longtime friend of the 45th president, said Trump’s successful campaign and the Patriots’ 25-point rally against the Atlanta Falcons both required tremendous hard work and mental fortitude.
“Overcoming long odds through hard work, perseverance and, most importantly, mental toughness, is the foundation of everything that is great about this country,” Kraft said. “… This year’s championship was achieved after falling behind by 25 points, a deficit so great that in the 97-year history of the NFL, over 20,000 games, that deficit had only been overcome seven times.
“In that same year, a very good friend of mine for over 25 years, a man who is as mentally tough and hard-working as anybody I know, launched a campaign for the presidency against 16 career politicians, facing odds almost as long as we faced in the fourth quarter (of Super Bowl LI). He persevered to become the 45th president of the United States.
“It’s a distinct honor for us to celebrate what was unequivocally our sweetest championship with a very good friend and somebody whose mental toughness and strength I greatly admire.”
Thirty-four Patriots players attended the ceremony on the White House’s South Lawn, as did Kraft, coach Bill Belichick and several members of his staff.
Thumbnail photo via Larry McCormack/The Tennessean via USA TODAY Network
