Patriots owner Robert Kraft will not be at Rob Gronkowski’s induction into the team’s Hall of Fame on Saturday. Kraft, 85, is recovering from back surgery, and he said on Thursday that doctors have told him to stay off his feet, which will also keep him away from New England’s next two games.
Patriots owner Robert Kraft is recovering from back surgery, which he said will keep him “on injured reserve” and force him to miss Rob Gronkowski’s Patriots Hall of Fame induction on Saturday.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 5, 2026
Story via @MikeReiss:
What Kraft said
Kraft told Mike Reiss that the surgery has him “on injured reserve.” He said: “As much pain as I was in before having surgery, it pains me even more to miss the ceremony.”
He also joked about Gronkowski, who had several back operations of his own during his career. “I always told Gronk that in my next life, I wanted to come back as him because I had never seen him have a bad day,” Kraft said. “But after a couple of back surgeries, I take that back. I never want to experience that again.”
Being told to rest means Kraft will also miss Sunday’s home game against the Green Bay Packers and the Patriots’ game against the Detroit Lions in Munich on Sunday, Nov. 15. Kraft has owned the club since 1994.
Gronkowski’s weekend
The ceremony is set for 1 p.m. ET on Saturday at Patriot Place Plaza, and Gronkowski will also be recognized at halftime of the Packers game. Fans voted him into the team’s Hall of Fame in April in his first year of eligibility, making him the 38th inductee. He signed a one-day contract last November so he could retire as a Patriot.
A second-round pick in 2010, Gronkowski played nine of his 11 seasons in New England. He caught 521 regular-season passes for 7,861 yards and 79 touchdowns for the Patriots, added 81 catches for 1,163 yards and 12 touchdowns in the playoffs and won three Super Bowls with the club. He was a four-time first-team All-Pro and is on the NFL’s 100th Anniversary Team. He becomes eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in the Class of 2027.
A busy Hall of Fame week
Another former Patriots figure is up for Canton. Mike Garafolo noted on Thursday that Bill Belichick is among the five coaching nominees, with Tom Coughlin, Mike Holmgren, Dan Reeves and Mike Shanahan, who will be cut to one finalist for election on Nov. 17.
What to watch
The 5-3 Patriots host the 5-3 Packers on Sunday in one of the biggest games of Week 9, with Gronkowski at halftime and Kraft watching from home. Mike Vrabel has spent the week answering questions about trade reports before Tuesday’s deadline. Kraft has not said when he expects to be back at games.
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