It seems tensions between the New England Patriots and the NFL are beginning to ease.
A report Monday night from Adam Schefter of ESPN revealed that Patriots owner Robert Kraft and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell are engaging in "back-channel conversations" aimed at resolving the differences which arose between the two sides as a result of the Deflategate scandal, the league-mandated investigation by Ted Wells and the subsequent sanctions levied by the NFL.
While it seems likely that Goodell and Kraft will be hard at work at the spring owners' meetings in San Francsico mending fences, per Schefter, they've actually already met in an effort to take steps toward that very goal.
"It won't be the first meeting between Kraft and Goodell since the league handed out its punishment, however, as an industry source told Schefter on Tuesday that the two hugged, sat down and talked 'for quite a long time' at a 60th birthday party for CBS Sports chairman Sean McManus in New York on Saturday night."
Considering the severity of the punishment handed down by the league was due in large part to what the NFL deemed a lack of cooperation on the part of the Patriots and not necessarily to the findings of the Wells Report, it seems likely that most of this boils down to a fundamental differing of opinion - something that should be rectifiable.
Both sides would presumably prefer to avoid an appeal or litigation if possible and thus the conversations which the two sides have reportedly already engaged in are likely aimed at resolving this issue without further public sniping.
One unnamed NFL owner told Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report earlier this month that the notoriously chummy, bordering on questionable, relationship between Goodell and Kraft was "pretty much dead."
"I can't say for certain but it sure seems that way to me," the owner said. "Some of us (owners) are waiting a little nervously to see what Robert does next."
Kraft wound up denying every aspect of the Wells Report findings and publishing a 20,000-word document questioning every aspect of Ted Wells' investigation. Now, his vehement defense of his franchise and the NFL's neverending concern over public relations may close the book on this ugly chapter in professional football history.
It seems like the best outcome for the Patriots, the NFL and fans of the league would be for the two sides to simply come to some type of equitable agreement and bring this whole unsightly ordeal to an end as soon as possible.