Patriots owner Robert Kraft sounded an optimistic note about the state of pro football on Wednesday. Speaking with CSNNE.com, Kraft said it would be “criminal” if football isn’t played on Sunday’s at Gillette Stadium this fall, but added that everyone was trying to make a new deal work.

“I promise I will do everything I can do,” Kraft said. “It would really be criminal if we don’t have football here on Sundays. … I know [commissioner Roger Goodell] and [NFL general counsel] Jeff Pash and our whole team are doing everything they can do to continue negotiations. We’ve got to negotiate, not litigate. We should have a deal. There’s a deal ready to be done where we can play football in the fall. You saw our schedule come out [Tuesday]. We’re excited about that and now we have to find a way to get the players back in.”