Myra Kraft's Death Spurs NFL to Allow Patriots Team to Contact Robert Kraft

Robert Kraft has been as good of an owner for the New England Patriots as anyone could have hoped for when he bought the team in 1994.

He hasn't done it alone, though. Of course, he's had the help of his staff, Bill Belichick, and the players who continue to prove him right in his decision-making.

One person has helped him in ways we never saw on the field, in ways only a loved one can. That person was his wife, Myra Kraft. Sadly, she passed this morning after fighting a long battle with cancer.

She may not have had the on-field presence of Robert Kraft even before her diagnosis, but her presence was definitely felt by the players, many of whom—including but not limited to Julian Edelman, Dane Fletcher, Darius Butler, Vince Wilfork, Brian Hoyer, and BenJarvus Green-Ellis—have poured forth with support via Twitter.

Matt Light spoke with NFL Network and shared his feelings, as well.

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"She wasn’t someone we saw like Robert or Jonathan and the rest of the family...but her impact was felt in many other ways. And just the things she did, in that community, and what that did for guys on the team...I mean, it really drove me to do a lot to give back and find my little niche to be apart of that community...I’ll tell you, she’s an incredible person. She really was.”

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Her impact spans the duration of the Kraft regime in New England. Fond memories of Myra span the duration of Robert Kraft's ownership of the Patriots. Lawyer Milloy weighed in via Twitter, sharing his sentiments that, "she was a gr8 example of how a woman stands beside, not behind, a man of power! I never got a chance to say thanks 4 that lasting impression."

More than that, her impact spans far beyond the confines of Gillette Stadium. She was a philanthropist by nature, doing everything she could to help out in her community. Her presence will be missed throughout the community.

Bill Belichick reflects upon this, in a statement issued through the Patriots official Twitter account:

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“As much support as her quiet but unmistakable presence provided us in the competitive arena and as much as I personally will miss her warm embraces before and after each game, Myra shined brightest in a much broader arena. In the humanitarian arena, her generosity through philanthropy was admired and appreciated by all. She made a permanent impression on hundreds of coaches, players, staff and our families as a model of grace, strength and giving. Myra’s vision and example will impact and remain very much with our team forever.”

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Nice words, if only Belichick could say them directly to Robert Kraft.

He was forbidden to do so under the rules of the lockout up until this morning when the NFL allowed the Patriots players and coaches to contact their owner to offer their condolences.

The greed that has prolonged this lockout has gotten in the way of the NFL season, but thankfully it didn't get in the way of communication during what is surely a tough time for the Kraft family and the Patriots organization as a whole.

It's not as though they're going to call him asking them for help on the playbook or learning the system.

Beyond all potential impacts on the field, this points to the social dysfunction caused by the lockout. The fact that the NFL even had to approve the players contacting their owner to wish him well after the death is sickening. Luckily, the NFL allowed it, or the media uproar might have been like nothing we've ever seen before.

Erik Frenz is the co-host of the PatsPropaganda and Frenz podcast. Follow Erik on Twitter @erikfrenz.