Patriots owner Robert Kraft has his own custom shoes and still defends the NFL’s policy on cleats

Robert Kraft has been one of the more recognizable sports owners outside of the sports world, especially for those who indulge in sneaker culture. The New England Patriots owner is often seen wearing his Nike Air Force 1s with suits wherever he goes, and to see somebody of Kraft’s standing doing that is rare.

In a video with Complex, Kraft describes his experience shopping for sneakers. He shows the various Patriots colorways of Air Force 1s, and the differences in them, along with the money that’s been donated as a result of their creation.

In the video, Kraft was asked about the custom cleats players have been wearing, and how he feels about the league’s stance on them.

Kraft started his answer with what you’d expect any NFL owner to say: “I love the league. I love everything they do, whatever they do, it’s fine by me.”

He continued by saying that places like Green Bay, Buffalo, and Tennessee all get to spend the same amount on players, which is unlike other sports. He also said, “If we let people start going off on their own, generating revenue and selling things, then the weaker teams are going to get hurt.

“So I actually I do support the league and what they do. Maybe there should be better judgment certain times.”

Kraft’s statement doesn’t make sense, though, because the cleats aren’t sold as one-offs. The custom cleats we have seen from Antonio Brown, whether they be the Muhammad Ali tributes, the Kimbo/Jose Fernandez tributes, or the cleats he wore with his kids’ faces on them, are not mass produced by Nike, rather painted by artist Corey Pane, so there’s no extra revenue to be made.

Yet the body of his argument, especially “weaker teams” being negatively impacted, doesn’t really stick either. All 400+ NBA players have sneaker deals in some capacity, and they are negotiated with their own agents. The idea of that having an individual effect on teams isn’t true.

In the NBA, players like LeBron James, Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, and others have sneakers that are sold in that capacity. They could be for Christmas, Easter, Black History Month, or something as little as their favorite food, like peanut butter and jelly. These sneakers are a Nike entity, and distributed through the players’ independent deals with the companies.

Therefore, it has no greater effect in Cleveland when LeBron wears his sneakers than it does in San Antonio when Jonathon Simmons is wearing his. If the NFL allowed the same, Antonio Brown wearing his cleats in Pittsburgh would have no larger impact than whatever Terrelle Pryor might wear in Cleveland — because they’re both independently provided, and not by the NFL or its teams.

Kraft’s answer was very much in defense of the league, which shouldn’t come as a surprise. Roger Goodell acts as a representative of all 32 owners, so when it comes to any issue, Kraft and the other 31 owners will typically back him.

If sneakers aren’t being sold as one-offs, which they aren’t, and it’s not affecting teams, then players should be allowed to have fun with their footwear.