Roger Goodell denies Robert Kraft’s request to reinstate Patriots’ first-round draft pick

Robert Kraft apparently has forgotten his stated intention of not continuing the “dialogue and rhetoric” about Deflategate.

More than 10 months after announcing he would not appeal the NFL’s decision to fine his team and take away its first- and fourth-round draft picks in the aftermath of the scandal, the Patriots owner told reporters Monday that he sent a letter to Commissioner Roger Goodell in February asking for the 2016 first-round pick back.

“I personally wrote a letter to the commissioner, responding to his comment that if any new facts came up he would take them into consideration,” Kraft said at the NFL owners’ meeting in Boca Raton, Fla. “And I personally believe that when the league made their decision, they did not factor in the Ideal Gas Law. They admitted that publicly. They’ve had a full year of being able to observe Tom Brady play with all the rules of whatever the NFL was and make any judgments there.

“We have laid it out pretty straightforward, and now it’s up to them to decide.”

Kraft would not say if he had gotten a response from Goodell but stated “I pray and desire” that his team will end up getting its first-round pick back.

“In this age of parity, everything is — the scheduling, the salary cap — it’s very hard to compete without the lifeblood of the draft. And so we understand the importance, and I assure we’ve done everything we can do that has a chance of success.”

Goodell told reporters Wednesday he did respond to Kraft’s letter, telling the Patriots owner he “considered his views and didn’t think there was any reason in there to alter the discipline. There will be no changes.”

Last May, Goodell fined the Patriots $1 million and took away the two draft picks for the team’s role in using underinflated football during the AFC championship game earlier that year.

Nonetheless, Kraft offered praise for Goodell during his comments on Monday.

“Putting personal situations aside, I think he has done a very good job,” Kraft said. “He’s worked hard. The health of the league has not been better. We have our issue that we don’t think has been handled well, but it is what it is.”