His GF Wanted To Be In South” – Robert Kraft Blames Calvin Ridley’s Partner For Foiling Patriots Deal, Mistakenly Calls WR’s Wife As Girlfriend.
Patriots owner Robert Kraft publicly blamed Calvin Ridley’s wife, Dominique Fitchard, for the failed deal between Ridley and New England.“There was one outstanding receiver that, unfortunately, we couldn’t close,” Kraft said to the reporters. “It was not because of finance. Clearly, his girlfriend wanted to be in the South.”
FYI, Fitchard is Ridley’s wife. And, Robert Kraft incorrectly referred to Ridley’s wife as his girlfriend when discussing Ridley’s decision not to sign with the Patriots.
Kraft added:“We had a situation where the taxes were almost 10% higher, and we were willing to keep going to add that premium, but he didn’t want to be in the Northeast.”
New England Patriots were serious contenders for Ridley’s services and their offer was likely competitive with the market rate for a top wide receiver. Patriots owner Robert Kraft even stated they were prepared to match the financial offer made by the Tennessee Titans, which was a four-year, $92 million deal with $50 million guaranteed. FYI, New England has a higher state income tax compared to Tennessee. Kraft mentioned they were willing to compensate for this difference to make the overall offer more attractive.
On March 15, Calvin Ridley who is from from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, signed with the Tennessee Titans instead of the New England Patriots, who were considered a frontrunner to land him. The four-year, $92 million contract with the Titans was a lucrative deal, and Ridley ended up choosing them over the Patriots and the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Calvin Ridley was drafted in the first round (26th overall) by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2018 NFL Draft. He made an immediate impact, earning a spot on the PFWA All-Rookie Team. Ridley continued to impress, becoming a key target for Atlanta’s offense. The wide receiver (WR) had a breakout season in 2020, earning second-team All-Pro honors with 1,374 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. Ridley missed the 2022 season due to a gambling suspension.
Next, Calvin was traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars in November 2022. He made a successful return from suspension in the 2023 season and started all 17 games for the Jaguars with 76 receptions for 1,016 yards and eight touchdowns.
