The Patriots took 2 planes to their game in Houston to keep sick players away from their healthy teammates

Tyler Lauletta

December 1, 2019 7:13 PM

The New England Patriots traveled to their road game on two planes this week after an illness swept through the locker room.

Patriots team plane

With 10 players on the injury report due to illness, healthy players traveled on their own to ensure that the illness didn't spread further through the team.
As the only team in the league with two planes at their disposal, it's a luxury only the Patriots could afford.
It's not the first time New England has taken extra care of its players when it comes to air travel.
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The New England Patriots made an odd travel decision this week while traveling to their road game against the Houston Texans, electing to take two planes to Texas rather than having the entire team travel together.

According to ESPN's Field Yates, the two planes were a necessary precaution, as the Patriots were dealing with an illness in their locker room, and attempting to prevent it from spreading any further amongst their healthy players.

It was a luxury that only the Patriots could afford, as they are the only team in the league that has two planes at their personal disposal.

For Week 13, it was necessary, as eight players missed practice on Wednesday while dealing with an illness. While the Patriots injury report is not always the most reliable source of information, with 10 players on the list this week due to flu-like symptoms, it's easy to imagine why the Patriots were eager to take the extra precaution.

It's not the first time the Patriots have shown their players love through air travel. Before the team had even one private plane, head coach Bill Belichick used to allow veteran players to fly in first-class while the coaching staff sat in coach, a move that former Patriots defensive end Chris Long said players greatly appreciated.

In 2019, giving up the good seats is no longer a necessity for the Patriots coaching staff, but it's clear that the group still takes extra care when it comes to keeping its players happy during travel.

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