It was a scorcher of a tailgate party at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro Thursday, as the New England Patriots took on the New Orleans Saints for the first pre-season game of the year, in the extreme heat.
"Hot, real hot," said one excited fan. "It's baseball weather, not football weather."
"I feel bad for the guys because they're going to be in all their gear," said another fan.
Some people were getting creative as they tried to keep cool.
Tents were slanted from the sun. One woman was being rubbed with a cold water bottle.
Others made sure to stay hydrated.
Despite the heat, all attention Thursday was focused on the field.
U.S. & World
Back up quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is making this preseason more anticipated than some others. He's playing in place of Tom Brady, who will serve a four-game suspension during the regular season following the Deflategate saga.
"I'm hoping to see him do better than what some of the sports analysts are saying," said Patriots fan John Bettencourt. "They're not having much faith in him, and we really need him to be good."
