Their fifth Super Bowl banner will be unfurled before the Patriots play host to the Chiefs in the NFL opener on Thursday at Gillette Stadium.
Declaring its next Super Bowl title just ahead, Sports Illustrated last week featured the home team on its cover with a goliath Tom Brady roaring at the gnats of other teams. The text with the image: “Can the unstoppable dynasty be stopped?”
Meanwhile, thousands of towels depicting despised-in-New England NFL commissioner Roger Goodell with a clown nose will be distributed outside the stadium to commemorate Goodell’s first regular-season visit here since Deflategate.