Making a surprise appearance before a scheduled Bill Belichick press conference, New England Patriots owner Bob Kraft, who agreed in May to not appeal one of the biggest penalties in NFL history, came out firing with a prepared, blistering, six-minute response to the league after the announcement it wouldn’t reduce the four-game suspension for Pats’ quarterback Tom Brady.

Given Kraft’s reticence to get into a battle with the NFL this spring and the lack of preparation for his appearance, Kraft’s brief statement to reporters, in which he basically declared war against Goodell and the league, was nothing short of a bombshell. The five most damning quotes:

1. “I was wrong to put my faith in the league. Given the facts, evidence and laws of science that underscored this entire situation, it is completely incomprehensible to me that the league continues to take steps to disparage one of its all time great players and a man for whom I have the utmost respect.”

Goodell and Kraft. (EPA)

2. “There are those in the league office who are more determined to prove they were right rather than admit any culpability of their own.”

3. “I was willing to accept harshest penalty in history of NFL – for an alleged ball violation – because I believed it would help Tom.”

(AP)

4. “The decision handed down by the league yesterday is unfathomable to me. It is routine for discipline in the NFL to be reduced upon appeal. A vast majority of these cases there’s tangible and hard evidence of the infraction. […] Still the original penalty gets reduced.”

(Getty Images)

5. “I continue to believe and unequivocally support Tom Brady.”

Kraft also criticized leaks from the league office (and, indirectly, ESPN) and said Goodell and the front office were erroneously using information like Brady’s cell phone to detract from the issue of deflating footballs. But when he complained about the destruction of the cell phone, he, like Brady, didn’t address the actual issue of the hiding of evidence and the lack of cooperation. Not that it would have mattered. Kraft was most upset that he caved in May, believing it would help Brady in July. He was wrong.

In a situation where things get more hazy by the day, one thing appears clear: Robert Kraft is no longer Team Goodell.