Patriots owner Robert Kraft comments on Aaron Hernandez: 'If this stuff is true, then I've been duped'

Patriots owner Robert Kraft commented for the first time on the Aaron Hernandez situation. (Photo by Getty Images)

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft broke his silence on Monday commenting for the first time regarding former tight end Aaron Hernandez's murder charge, saying, "if this stuff is true, then I've been duped and our whole organization has been duped."

Kraft said Hernandez was a "most likeable young man" and acknowledged that the team "made a mistake and are facing it head on." Kraft also says they will "renew efforts and look at procedures."

Hernandez sits in a Massachusetts jail awaiting charges of the first-degree murder of 27-year-old Odin Lloyd and also faces five other guns charges stemming from the crime. The team released Hernandez the day he was arrested and will absorb a $7.5 million salary cap charge next year.

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Kraft said the team had no idea that Hernandez would be facing a murder charge when it released him and said the team  had no knowledge of Hernandez's actions outside of Gillette Stadium.

"My heart goes out to the Lloyd family," he said. "I feel bad that someone connected to our organization is connected to this."