Does Robert Kraft have “Zappe Fever” like the rest of New England?
That might be a stretch, but the Patriots owner clearly was pleased with how rookie quarterback Bailey Zappe played in Sunday’s win over the Browns in Cleveland.
The Patriots on Monday shared a video of their locker room celebration at FirstEnergy Stadium. The clip includes a look at Kraft thanking Zappe for putting a bow on a weekend that started with his surprise wedding in New York.
“I’m proud of you,” Kraft told Zappe. “It’s a big weekend for me, so this is a good present.”
The video also features Matthew Slater’s postgame speech.
“We always gotta return to the love that we have for this game, fellas,” Slater said. “Never lose that. You can’t take this game for granted. Nothing is guaranteed. And as much as we talk about winning and losing — and that’s important, trust me — you gotta maintain your love for this game, fellas. If you do that, you’ll be the best version of yourselves; this team will be the best version of itself.”
Take a look:
The question now becomes, which quarterback will Kraft be congratulating if the Patriots beat the Chicago Bears at Gillette Stadium next Monday?
All indications are that Mac Jones will be ready to return from the high ankle sprain that’s kept him out of the last three games. However, Bill Belichick’s refusal to back New England’s franchise quarterback has fueled beliefs that Zappe could be making a legitimate run at Jones’ job.
We’ll find out one way or another when the Patriots and Bears kick off next Monday at 8:15 p.m. ET.
