Robert Kraft Once Again Atop Yahoo's Annual NFL Owner Rankings

Patriots Owner Robert Kraft for the fourth consecutive year has topped YAHOO SPORTS' Michael Silver's annual NFL owner rankings, as Kraft "runs the league's smoothest operation." Kraft also serves as NFL Broadcast Committee Chair, and he teamed with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to "pull off a completely legitimate power move" in negotiating two-year extensions with Fox, CBS and NBC through the '13 season and NFL Sunday Ticket provider DirecTV through '14. Kraft and Goodell "successful manipulated the deals to give the league a serious edge in its impending labor fight with the NFLPA." Silver noted he used "input from people in high-level league and ownership circles" to come up with his ranking. The following reflects the ranking from first-to-worst, as well as last year's ranking for each owner (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 9/2-9/3).

GRIN & BEAR IT: In Chicago, Vaughn McClure noted Bears President & CEO Ted Phillips "seemed amused" by the list, which ranks the team 30th. Phillips: "I don't put much stock into, rankings like that, much less from individuals that I have no idea what their qualifications are." Phillips added, "I do know this, that our organization has done a whole lot with our fans. We give back to the fans. I think we have a great front office" (CHICAGOSPORTS.com, 8/3).