FOXBORO, Mass. — New England Patriots fans have been accused of being a quiet bunch. It’s a fair critique at times.
Patriots fans are accustomed to winning, so a random 1 p.m. game in the middle of November against a bottom-of-the-barrel opponent might not get the blood pumping for those in the more expensive seats.
It’s not surprising, however, that new Patriots running back Rex Burkhead called the atmosphere at Gillette Stadium “tremendous” Tuesday.
Burkhead was on the field with the Cincinnati Bengals for two of the more memorable games in recent years at Gillette Stadium. He played in the infamous “on to Cincinnati” Sunday night game in 2014 after the Patriots were drubbed by the Kansas City Chiefs the previous Monday. The Patriots beat the Bengals 43-17.
Burkhead also played in Tom Brady’s return to Gillette Stadium, which the Patriots won 35-17, following his four-game Deflategate suspension last season.
“Great atmosphere,” Burkhead said. “I played a night game here, I think that was my second year in the league. It was rocking, tremendous atmosphere. Then last year as well. It was cool. We lost both games, of course, but it was just a neat atmosphere and something I could tell if I was here would be fun to be a part of.
“It was a lot of energy, for sure, in the stadium.”
Patriots fans might not be as loud as the Kansas City Chiefs’ or Seattle Seahawks’ supporters, but in the right circumstances, Gillette Stadium still is one of the best settings in pro sports. There’s a good chance Burkhead will see Patriots fans at their best at some point during the 2017 season.
Thumbnail photo via Troy Taormina/USA TODAY Sports Images
