A Scotsman’s Day at the NFL
Boston is known for having some of the most famous sports teams on the planet, including the Boston Celtics and the Boston Red Sox, who are a huge and historic part of the NBA and MLB respectively.
However, just 22 miles south of the city is another massive name. The New England Patriots.
The six-time Super Bowl winners are one of the biggest franchises in the NFL. The Pats have been crowned Super Bowl champions, equaling the record held by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
There have been many famous faces associated with the Patriots. These include seven-time Super Bowl winner and legendary quarterback, Tom Brady and arguably the greatest NFL coach to ever grace the game, Bill Belichick.
Belichick has been head coach since 2000 and has been present for all six Super Bowl wins. He remains the only person to have achieved this feat as a coach.
New England Patriots manager, Bill Belichick (Image: Getty)
Heading into the 2022/2023 NFL season, Belichick and the New England Patriots will be hoping to make it a historic seventh championship as they have their eyes set on another Super Bowl.
However, before the season starts, the Patriots were faced with some pre-season matches, with one against the Carolina Panthers.
On the day of the match, you could already get a feel for the atmosphere as fans were appearing in their jerseys and started to board the train from Boston’s South Station to Foxboro Station.
After a 45-minute journey, the train pulls into Foxboro where you can instantly see the enormous Gillette Stadium, the home of the New England Patriots.
As you walk up to the stadium, you will notice a lot of construction happening outside. This is because one of the stands is getting a full renovation; the revised plan includes a new 22,000 square-foot video board which is meant to be one of the biggest around the world.
Before you approach the turnstiles, there is a team shop where fans are able to pick up all their Patriots merchandise. The products on offer range from jerseys to flags to bobble heads; they have everything a team has to showcase.
In relation to the seating, all areas have a great view of the pitch; even up in the heavens situated in the upper bowl. There are plenty of kiosks to get all your pre-match food and beer, but the prices are quite crazy.
For example, a Diet Pepsi and a pretzel will come to $10, whereas a domestic beer costs $9 and a premium beer $10.
If you are thinking about buying food or drink, remember to take into account the price of the items on sale.
As the players warmed up on the pitch, the well-known figure of Jon Bon Jovi, singer of rock band Bon Jovi, was spotted pitch side talking to owner Robert Kraft. Bon Jovi is close friends with the Patriots owner and has performed at the Gillette Stadium on many occasions.
Five minutes before kick-off, the Patriots players were spotted on the big screen and began their descent from the tunnel as ‘O Fortuna’ began to ring around the stadium.
As ‘O Fortuna’ came to an end, the loud call of Ozzy Osbourne shouting “ALL ABOARD” welcomed the players onto the pitch as ‘Crazy Train’ was played from the speakers.
With the music easing out, it was time for kick off. It was a very contested game until the Panthers scored a field goal just before the end of the first quarter.
However, the Patriots took control shortly after as Ty Montgomery was able to score a touchdown with Nick Folk scoring from the kick. Folk was also able to score a 38-yard field goal, helping the Pats to go 10-3 into half-time.
The pre-season match at the Gillette Stadium between New England Patriots and Carolina Panthers (Image: Kyle Murphy)
Although no action was being played, the entertainment didn’t stop, as the New England Patriots cheerleaders put on a performance for the fans. However, they were already occupied with the Shimmy Cam up on the big screen, showing off their best moves.
It’s not something you would see in the UK but the New England residents were loving it.
The players came back onto the pitch with the Pats hoping to finish off the game in the upcoming half. That wasn’t to be as the Carolina Panthers made it 10-10. Tae Hayes scored a 50-yard touchdown due to an interception with Zane Gonzalez scoring from the kick.
With the game level, it all came down to the fourth quarter and both teams were hungry for a victory. The Patriots didn’t want to send their fans home disappointed, so they gave their all and it paid off.
Tristan Vizcaino scored a 51-yard field goal to make it 13-10 and put the Pats in a safe position. However, they weren’t finished as in the last minute of the game, Sam Roberts forced a fumble in the Panthers end zone to score a touchdown. Vizcaino then scored from the resulting kick to make it 20-10 and seal the win for the Patriots.
As the full-time whistle blew, cheers from the fans circled the stadium as they went home happy.
American football is such an unbelievable experience and is one many should witness. Although there is the added effort of trying to understand the rules, the atmosphere is able to disregard that and give you an amazing feeling.
If you ever visit the USA between August and March, an NFL game should be at the top of your list, as it is truly a special and memorable event that will stay with you for life.