Donald Trump Addresses Robert Kraft, Tom Brady at Campaign Donors Dinner

President-elect Donald Trump gave a shoutout to New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and quarterback Tom Brady during a dinner celebrating his campaign donors.

The Boston Globe's Ben Volin shared Trump's comments Thursday:

CNN's Dan Merica reported Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder and Denver Broncos general manager John Elway were also present at Thursday's event.

In an interview with the New York Times' Ken Belson and Ben Shpigel, Kraft said his friendship with Trump began 20 years ago after Trump invited him to a round of golf in Florida:

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Loyalty is important to me, and he has been a wonderful friend. I think one of the great problems in the country today is the working poor, the middle class, that there hasn't been growth in income on an equal basis, and I really think the policies he's going to bring to bear are going to be great for the economic side of America.

"

The Daily Beast's Marlow Stern detailed how Trump and Brady built a rapport after Brady served as a judge for the 2002 Miss USA pageant, an event that Trump owned at the time.

Dan Scavino Jr., Trump's director of social media, shared a few photos of Trump and Brady golfing together:

Brady endorsed Trump for president in September 2015.

Trump's connection to the Patriots also includes head coach Bill Belichick, who confirmed in November he had written a letter to Trump prior to the 2016 presidential election.