Eagles, Patriots Arrive in Minneapolis for Super Bowl LII

The Patriots landed on Monday just before 2:00 p.m.

MINNEAPOLIS — The New England Patriots touched down at MSP just before 2:00 Monday afternoon.

It’s not a new feeling for many of these guys. Quarterback Tom Brady will be playing in his eighth Super Bowl, and he’s trying to win his sixth Lombardi Trophy.

And while the Super Bowl is nothing new to Tom Brady, it’s not new to the Twin Cities either; Minnesota played host to Super Bowl XXVI in 1992.

And while the spectacle of the big game was still very much present back then — with nearly 80 million viewers — the events in the week leading up to it have evolved drastically.

“Back then, it was a four-day event or a three-day event,” Minnesota Host Committee CEO Maureen Bausch said. “It’s grown over the years. It still is the capstone, the best game of the year, the Super Bowl, but leading up to that has changed significantly.”

Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton also see how much pomp is surrounding this season.

“It’s just so much bigger, so much more inclusive,” Dayton said. “People everywhere want to be a part of it. There’s so much more activity going on, so many more opportunities for people to be involved. The entertainment is just phenomenal. It’s an over-the-top event.”