What Robert Kraft Told Patriots Players Before Germany Game

After the Patriots wrapped up their final preparations for Sunday’s game in Frankfurt, Germany, they received a message from team owner Robert Kraft.

Kraft spoke to the team after Saturday’s walkthrough to stress the importance of putting on a good show for their international fans. New England will face the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday at Frankfurt Stadium.

“I had the pleasure of speaking with the team (on Saturday) at the end of practice,” Kraft told a gathering of Patriots fans in Frankfurt, via The Boston Globe’s Christopher Gasper, “and I told them that I had some people come up to me on the street and say, 33 years ago, they saw a game in Germany that Jackie Slater played in. That’s Matthew Slater, who is our best special teams player in the NFL — his dad played in Germany 33 years ago. …

“And they remember plays of him. So I told them that every play (on Sunday) was so significant. They’ve worked very hard, and getting a victory (on Sunday) was critical. And they gave me a big cheer. So let’s hope it translates to the field.”

The Patriots enter their first game in Europe since 2012 — and first international game since 2017 — with a dismal 2-7 record and a two-game losing streak. They’re 2-point underdogs against the Gardner Minshew-led Colts, who come in at 4-5 following a win over the last-place Carolina Panthers last week.

Both teams traveled to Frankfurt late in the week, with the Patriots arriving Friday morning and practicing at the headquarters of the German national soccer team Friday afternoon.

“We’re looking forward to putting on a good show,” quarterback Mac Jones said after practice.