FOXBORO, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — There were no fans at Gillette Stadium for the NFL's opening day, but the local sports bars were a different story.
Pats fans like Jeff Sawyer couldn't wait to watch their favorite team return to start the season on Sunday. He and five friends got a table right in the middle of a makeshift patio at Pepperonchini's in Milford.
"We got here around 12 p.m., just to make sure we got a good spot," he said. "We know there's obviously a limited number of seating with the spacing going on."
In a normal season, the bar would be packed with rowdy New England fans, high-fiving and cheering loudly. But this year has been anything but normal. While it's not as fun to sit sex feet apart in a parking lot watching on a small screen under a tent, Sawyer said it's better than nothing.
"I mean the fact that we even have NFL football, given everything going on, is great," he said. "I mean, I couldn't be more excited."
The New England Patriots, led for the first time by quarterback Cam Newton, beat the Miami Dolphins 21 - 11.
WBZ NewsRadio's Matt Shearer reports:
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