FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — There is a tradition that takes place in the aftermath of New England Patriots home games.
After the field has emptied, select ticket holders are invited down to the Gillette Stadium turf.
Once there, some enjoy games of catch between family members and friends. Others use the opportunity to stand at the 50-yard line and get their picture taken while an image of them is displayed on the stadium’s 22,000-square-foot video board.
For most of the past two decades, the tradition has been a festival of smiles after Patriots victories. On Sunday, it had the feel of a wake following the Patriots’ 34-0 loss to the New Orleans Saints — the worst home shutout in team history.