Back in Foxboro and gearing up for Super Bowl LX, Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel took a moment to shine the spotlight not on his team’s gritty AFC Championship win, but on the people behind the scenes who helped make the homecoming special.
The Patriots returned to Gillette Stadium late Monday afternoon after their 10-7 slugfest victory over Denver, and they were welcomed like hometown heroes. With flashing lights and a full escort from the Foxboro Police Department, the team rolled into Patriot Place to a scene that felt more like a celebration than a commute.
Local firefighters climbed atop their engines, fans lined the parking lot, and the energy? It was pure New England pride.
“As we get back, just the Foxboro Fire Department, these guys all jacked up on top of their trucks and the excitement there,” Vrabel told reporters on Tuesday. Less than 24 hours removed from the team’s return, he was still soaking in the moment - and clearly grateful.
The Foxboro Firefighters’ Union didn’t hold back their support either, posting a spirited “Welcome back New England Patriots!!! Time to get ready for Super Bowl LX vs the Seattle Seahawks!!!”
on social media. The police department chimed in too, writing, “We had the pleasure of escorting the team back home this evening.
Welcome home and good luck in California!”
It all happened around 5 p.m. Monday, while the region was still digging out from a brutal winter storm that dropped more than 17 inches of snow across Foxboro. But even with the snow piled high, the Patriots didn’t have to worry about clearing off their cars or battling the cold to get home.
“I mean, just look at our parking attendants,” Vrabel said, clearly moved by the effort. “We came back, there’s a bunch of snow, we’re worried about starting our cars and getting everything cleaned off, and our cars are cleaned off. I can’t thank those people enough for what they do.”
The storm had forced the team to stay overnight in Denver after Sunday’s AFC title game. Travel plans were up in the air heading into the weekend, and with the weather walloping not just New England but much of the country, the team had to adjust on the fly.
But by Monday evening, they were home - greeted not just by snowbanks and cold air, but by a community that’s riding the wave of another Super Bowl run. And if you ask Vrabel, it’s not just the players and coaches who are part of this journey.
It’s the fans, the first responders, the parking attendants - the people who make Foxboro feel like more than just a football town. They’re part of the team, too.