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Close Call! NFL Game Nearly Forfeited Due to Bags Left on the Plane

a stadium with a field and a number on the side
Written by Charlie

A great NFL game could have been forfeited due to one of the teams leaving bags of gear on an airplane. Thanks to some great efforts, the bags were returned and the kickoff was on schedule!

We have all likely had bags lost during our travels at some point (even if they aren’t “lost”, we may not have possession of them due to them being misplaced at times). But, yesterday this situation almost caused the New England Patriots to win the game by forfeiture due to bags left on the plane.

NFL Game Nearly Forfeited –  Because of Lost Bags

Yesterday afternoon (Sunday, December 8), the New England Patriots hosted the Kansas City Chiefs in what turned out to be a great game. However, it almost didn’t happen because of a luggage snafu.

The team flew by commercial aircraft to Boston on Saturday. According to many people, the normal course of events would be for the team’s managers and staff to oversee the containers offloaded from the plane and taken to the stadium. Then, they would prepare all the team’s gear for the game the next day.

However, Saturday night Gillette Stadium was in use so the Chiefs’ crew couldn’t get in until Sunday morning. That was when it was discovered that they had left a luggage container onboard their United Airlines plane that had to gear bags of about 35 players. Without them, the Chiefs would be forced to forfeit the game to the Patriots – something that has never happened in the modern NFL.

The plane had departed from Boston and flown to Newark. When the mistake was discovered Sunday morning, United Airlines flight 1990. Upon landing at Boston’s Logan airport, the police provided an escort for those bags to the stadium and at 2:40PM (about 1 hour and 40 minutes before kick-off), those bags were being rushed into the stadium by a bunch of people.

The game went on to be a really great one and I am sure some Kansas City Chief person/people got an earful about this mistake. Early reports said it was the airline’s fault but later other outlets said this was on the Chiefs as it was their flight and their gear.

The Patriots never have to worry about this kind of situation since they own their own aircraft. 🙂

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About the author

Charlie

Charlie has been an avid traveler and runner for many years. He has run in marathons around the world for less than it would cost to travel to the next town - all as a result of collecting and using miles and points. Over the years, he has flown hundreds of thousands of miles and collected millions of miles and points.
Now he uses this experience and knowledge to help others through Running with Miles.

1 Comment

  • A private team getting public assistance at public expense in pursuit of private profits. The Republican hypocrites of Kansas living on socialism while preaching capitalism to the world. The hypocrite Pompeo that is also a traitor.