A semi-truck sporting the New England Patriots logo has delivered 300,000 N95 respirator masks to New York City, a charitable move negotiated between Jonathan Kraft, the son of Patriots owner Robert Kraft, and Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker (R-MA).
According to The Wall Street Journal, the Massachusetts government solicited the help of Jonathan Kraft, who is the president of the Patriots and chairman of the board at Massachusetts General Hospital, to obtain an order of 2 million N95 masks from China.
The final arrangement involved sending the Patriots’ Boeing 767 airliner to China and retrieving the masks, and bringing them back to the United States. As part of the deal with Massachusetts, the Kraft family agreed to pay the $2 million cost of delivery, reports the news agency.
“We happened to have a little plane that we use for our team that was idle,” Robert Kraft told CNN on Thursday evening, reports Boston. “This probably was the most challenging operation our organization and team ever had to do.”
“I’ve never seen so much red tape in so many ways, and obstacles that we had to overcome,” said Robert Kraft. “In today’s world, those of us who are fortunate to make a difference have a significant responsibility to do so with all the assets we have available to us.”
In response to the act of kindness, The New York Post published a remarkable front page story lauding the move, with a caption reading “Something we thought we’d never say…THANK YOU, PATS.”
It took a global pandemic to finally put Jets and Patriots fans on the same team.
A tractor-trailer emblazoned with the New England NFL squad’s name rolled into enemy territory Friday on a mission of mercy, as it pulled up to the Javits Center to drop off a huge supply of N95 respirator masks that were purchased from China by the franchise’s owner.
“We’re all in this together. Headed to New York with hope, love and 300,000 masks for healthcare workers,” the Patriots wrote on their official Instagram page.
The New England Patriots delivered 300K face masks to NYC for coronavirus relief https://t.co/s0g1ynWGmx pic.twitter.com/c8IUp0Zr8i
— New York Post (@nypost) April 4, 2020
Robert Kraft recently told NBC-TV that he actually has a fondness for New York City, despite the Patriots’ rival affiliation with the city, according to a column in the Post.
“I personally have a deep affection for all the citizens of New York City,’’ said Robert Kraft. “I just thought it might be cool if the owner of the New England Patriots is doing whatever he can to help Jets and Giants. This is a gift of ours, these 300,000 masks and the transportation, to the people of New York.’’
In the column, sports writer Mark Cannizzaro wrote that the act of kindness has made Robert Kraft a member of the New York family, possibly forever.
A lot has happened over the years between Kraft and the Jets. None of it friendly.
Today, though, rivalries be damned. No more Border War. Everyone is playing for the same team now.
Feelings of jealousy must be replaced by genuine gratitude toward a man we’ve become so accustomed to view as the enemy.
Today, until further notice — and maybe forever — Robert Kraft is family.