Robert Kraft is recovering from back surgery and will miss Rob Gronkowski’s Patriots Hall of Fame induction

Patriots owner Robert Kraft, 85, is recovering from back surgery and says doctors have told him to stay off his feet. He will miss Rob Gronkowski’s Patriots Hall of Fame induction on Saturday and New England’s next two games.

Kraft said the surgery has him “on injured reserve.” He added: “As much pain as I was in before having surgery, it pains me even more to miss the ceremony.” He has owned the club since 1994.

Kraft joked that he once said he wanted to come back as Gronkowski in his next life because he never saw him have a bad day. After his own back surgery, Kraft said he takes that back and never wants to experience it again.

Rest keeps Kraft away from Sunday’s home game against the Packers and the Patriots’ game against the Lions in Munich on Sunday, November 15.

The ceremony is at 1 p.m. Eastern on Saturday at Patriot Place Plaza, and Gronkowski will also be recognized at Packers-game halftime. Fans voted him in in April, making him the 38th inductee.

A second-round pick in 2010, Gronkowski played nine of 11 seasons with the Patriots. He had 521 catches for 7,861 yards and 79 touchdowns in the regular season, added 12 playoff scores and won three Super Bowls with the club.