FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Addressing reports of strife within the New England Patriots' organization, owner Robert Kraft suggested his two biggest stars -- Tom Brady and Bill Belichick -- need to keep their egos under control for the relationship to last.
"In life, you know, the hardest thing is to surround yourself with quality people, even in a marriage if it's your partner, and then having continuity," Kraft said in an interview with the NFL Network before Sunday's AFC Championship Game.
"Life is difficult, especially if you're doing things at a high level. Having continuity, keeping things going. ... You know that fact that Tommy and Bill Belichick and my family have been together for 18 years.
"There's a lot of strong-minded people, but when you have something good going, everybody's got to get their egos checked in and try to hold it together."
Kraft was responding to a question about keeping together the Brady-Belichick tandem, which has led the Patriots to five Super Bowl championships.
ESPN The Magazine recently published a story detailing tension between Kraft, Belichick and Brady over the controversial trade of quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and the role of Brady's personal trainer, Alex Guerrero.
"Well, I have a saying: Jealousy and envy are incurable diseases," Kraft said. "I've been around enough, if you run any kind of company, any kind of business, the more successful you are, you have strong personalities, there's always a certain amount of tension. That just goes with the agenda."
