An estimated crowd of 35,000 turned out at Gillette Stadium for the New England Patriots' Super Bowl rally Sunday morning, giving the team an emotional lift before boarding its flight to Atlanta.
"This is an awesome crowd. Just tremendous. This is the biggest sendoff we've ever had," head coach Bill Belichick told those in attendance.
Belichick, dressed in a suit and tie, then thanked the crowd which filled the entire playing field and lower section of the stadium.
The team's decision to depart Sunday contributed to the large turnout. Last year, the Patriots departed for the Super Bowl on Monday.