Thousands Cheer for Patriots at Super Bowl Send-Off in Boston

The team left Logan Airport in Boston at 12:30 p.m. on Monday after a City Hall rally that began at 11 a.m.

It was a Patriots Super Bowl send-off like no other.

After a week of "DeflateGate" distractions, Patriots players and their fans made it clear they plan to channel that negative energy into a win on Sunday.

"We have the greatest fans in all of football," said veteran Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfork. "That's the one reason we always play for our city."

The fans here definitely aren't fair weather fans, not only braving the elements Monday, but also sticking with this team through good seasons and bad.

"I was there in '91 when they only won one game, and I used to go home crying and my wife used to say, 'Aw, you always go home crying,'" said Ron Pietruszka, a season ticket holder for 37 years. "But now I'm coming home smiling all the time and she's happy, too, so they say, 'Happy wife, happy life.'"

"Who wouldn't want to be here right now?" asked Louis Chino of Chelsea, Massachusetts. "Us Patriot fans, you see, we out here, it's cold, it's a blizzard coming, but we don't care. Whatever, we celebrate the Patriots and on to victory we go."

Never one to guarantee a victory, Pats quarterback Tom Brady, who's been put through media ringer this past week, had one simple message for fans.

"Thank you guys for all your support, we'll be needing you all next Sunday night," he said. "Go Patriots!"

After the rally, the Patriots quickly hopped on a plane headed to Arizona and Super Bowl XLIX, leaving behind New England and its impending blizzard.

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