“Without Doug, I probably wouldn’t be in this seat. He was a pioneer, trailblazer for all African American quarterbacks to follow after,” Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels said Wednesday. “So that’s awesome for Doug. You know, just him being a mentor to me since I got here, I can’t thank him enough for what he’s done, not only for me, for my family, also. So much respect and love for Doug.”

Kraft bought the New England Patriots in 1994 and quickly turned them into one of the most successful franchises in the NFL. He hired Bill Belichick as coach in 2000 and oversaw the franchise winning six Super Bowl titles from the 2001-2018 seasons.