Bob Kraft: "Brutal" that the Pats are not in Super Bowl

(CBS News) The New England Patriots were the last team to win a Super Bowl in New Orleans and team owner Robert Kraft admitted on Saturday that it is "brutal" for him to know just how close the Patriots came to the playing in the big game in 2013.

Kraft bought the Patriots in 1995 for $172 million and has since turned the team into a franchise worth well over a billion dollars. Under his ownership, New England fans have seen their team make it to six Super Bowls and win three of them.

Despite the Patriots' absence, Kraft said New Orleans, the 2013 host city, is his favorite Super Bowl locale. "The first time I came here was in '85 when the Patriots were in it and they got demolished...and then in '01, we were privileged to be here and we won that game."

Kraft also touched on top priorities for other NFL team owners and NFL commissioner Robert Goodell, saying they are always searching for new ways to address the "health and safety of the players." Kraft added that player health is "foremost what we're focused on...it's something that we have to be very mindful of."

And while his own team will not be at the Superdome on Sunday, Kraft said he will still be "rooting for ratings" on game day.

"The Patriots aren't here...I want ratings," he said.