FOXBORO, Mass. — The Patriots practice squadders received some great news Sunday after the team's victory in the AFC Championship Game.
They found out they'd be heading to Indianapolis with the team for the Super Bowl.
The players on the practice squad have only traveled for preseason games, so they weren't quite sure if they'd get the chance to go to the Super Bowl. But after the win against the Ravens, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick handed them their schedules, which was complete with the news.
"It's awesome," practice squad offensive tackle Matt Kopa said. "It's the Super Bowl. It's amazing. It's my dream, been dreaming of this since you're a little kid. It's hard to believe you're actually going to be there, so it's great."
The Patriots will also bring most, if not all, of their 12 players on injured reserve, including center Dan Koppen. Some will travel with the team Sunday, and the rest will fly out Thursday.
It makes sense for the practice squad to travel because the Patriots will practice three times next week, and they have been valuable members of the scout team. But still, they didn't want to take that notion for granted.
As such, Kopa, defensive end Markell Carter, safety Ross Ventrone, linebacker Mike Rivera, defensive end Alex Silvestro, defensive end Aaron Lavarias, wide receiver Britt Davis and tight end Carson Butler will head to Indy. It's got to be especially sweet for Butler, who was signed Thursday.
For the Super Bowl, they'll stand on the sideline with the team in their sweats, and it's a thrill they can't wait to experience.
"This is my first one, so of course it feels good to join my teammates again, especially with the dynamics of the game," Carter said. "This is a huge game, so I'm glad I'm on the sideline supporting my teammates."
"I was surprised, and I'm glad it's happening. I'm real glad it's happening."
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