Patriots owner Robert Kraft lends team plane to undefeated University of Rhode Island football team

The College of Rhode Island soccer workforce confronted a possible eight-hour bus experience to its upcoming sport towards Towson, a trek able to tiring the gamers and threatening its immaculate 5-0 file. Then, like Malcolm Butler’s goal-line play in Super Bowl XLIX, the New England Patriots introduced a last-minute interception — this occasion being way more useful to the opposite workforce than that Tremendous Bowl. 

Patriots proprietor Robert Kraft despatched a workforce aircraft to Windfall for the URI Rams to make use of for his or her Friday journey to Baltimore. URI coach Jim Fleming requested the aircraft early this week after the Rams’ returning constitution flight fell by, totally anticipating to pay for it with the workforce finances. Then Kraft not solely lent the aircraft but in addition lined all prices. 

“I virtually fell out of my seat … It is unbelievable for us,” Fleming advised the Patriots’ website. “It is an unbelievable present of help. It is seen and recognizable by all people. It most likely enhances our alternative to exit and play as finest we are able to and attempt to get one other W.”

Ws have been uncommon for URI through the years. Since 2011, the Rams have secured a successful file solely in 2018 — excluding their 2-1 mark from a pandemic-shortened spring season in 2020. URI went 2-10 in 2019, its final full season. 

URI has flipped the script this season by amassing the Colonial Athletic Affiliation’s solely undefeated file. Rams defensive again Henry Yiankopolos credit the turnaround to why Kraft and the Patriots gave their help.

“Folks begin to acknowledge when you begin having success,” mentioned Yiankopolos, who known as the expertise surreal as a result of lots of his teammates are Patriots followers. “We have labored a very long time for this. That is simply an added bonus for us to have the ability to admire one thing like this, the Patriots stepping up and serving to us out right here. It means rather a lot.

“We’re able to benefit from the expertise, benefit from the journey and prepare to play a sport and get again to enterprise,” the redshirt senior added. “It is enterprise as typical. We bought to remain targeted.”

URI will look to increase its successful streak to 6 towards Towson (2-3) on Saturday at 4 p.m. ET. The Patriots are internet hosting the Dallas Cowboys at 4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday, the rationale why their workforce aircraft was obtainable.