PatsFans.com Menu
PatsFans.com - The Hub For New England Patriots Fans
PatsFans.com - The Hub For New England Patriots Fans
  • NEWS ▼
  • FORUM ▼
  • SCHEDULE
  • NFL ▼
  • STATS ▼
  • GAMES ▼
LOGIN | REGISTER
Home › Patriots Blog › Patriots Commentary
Patriots Commentary

Belichick Surprises Patriots With Bye Week Bowling Trip

Robert Alvarez
Robert Alvarez Staff Writer
Jan 8, 2016 at 10:00 am ET · 1 min read · 1.1k views
Never miss a story
Follow Us on Google News Follow on Apple News Newsletter
**** DO NOT USE ****
Photo: Steve Mitchell - USA TODAY Sports
1 min read Patriots Commentary

The New England Patriots earned a first round by in the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season in 2015 and continuing a new tradition by Head Coach Bill Belichick, he treated the entire team to a surprise bonding trip to the local bowling alley Splitsville Lanes at Patriot Place. This is the first time Belichick has taken a team out bowling, as the past two years past they have gone to the movies on the bye week to see “American Sniper” and “Lone Survivor.”

In a season ravaged by injuries over the final two months, Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald reported “Belichick scheduled the players to arrive at Gillette Stadium for a meeting and lifting session, and he shocked them by interrupting the program to take them bowling.” The Patriots, who have lost four of six, were rewarded with a much needed “mental break” away from the preparations for the AFC Divisional round.

According to Howe, Belichick himself got in on the action and Rob Gronkowski’s team which “included ringer Darius Fleming, won the Patriots’ bowling championship.”

Some Snapchat screenshots were taken by the fan @GrizzMiss that provide a glimpse into the days activity.

https://twitter.com/GrizzMiss/status/685496439238225920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

https://twitter.com/GrizzMiss/status/685507447742689282?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

ESPN Boston’s Mike Reiss reported that Belichick informed the team they will have Saturday and Sunday off before returning for Monday meetings to officially begin preparations for their divisional round home playoff game Jan. 16.

 

PatsFans.com — Independent Patriots Coverage Since 2000

Support Us: Help Us Compete Against The Corporate Media Giants

We need your help. If you enjoy our content, please help us beat Google's Corporate algorithm by adding us as a preferred source on Google News.

Click the button below and check the box next to "PatsFans.com"

Add as a preferred source on Google News
Read Next Chiefs at Texans – Preview, Odds, Prediction →
About Robert Alvarez
Robert Alvarez
View all posts by Robert Alvarez
Tags: Bill Belichick Darius Fleming Rob Gronkowski

Comments are closed.

📅 This Week in Patriots History:

From our archive - this week all-time:
May 30 - June 14 (Through 26yrs)

  • A historical look at the uniform numbers for the new Patriots: #23, Patrick Chung(2014)
  • Thursday Daily Rundown 6/9: New England Patriots Rundown(2016)
  • Kraft Family Releases Statement In Response To George Floyd Murder, Racial Injustice In America(2020)
  • Super Bowl At Gillette? No Thanks(2010)
  • Best Of Social Media: The New England Patriots Honor Memorial Day(2017)
  • Wes Welker Says Patriots Are 'Definitely' On His Radar, But Has That Ship Sailed?(2015)
FULL ARCHIVE
📈 Recent Most-Read Articles:
1
2022 New England Patriots Draft Picks – Full List
2
2024 Patriots Draft Picks – FULL LIST
3
Patriots Announce Ticket Increase, Dropping Stadium Parking Fees
4
Heading Into Free Agency, Patriots Have Two Tough Player Decisions to Make
5
Tom Brady’s ‘Life Is Hard’ Speech: Full Patriots HOF Transcript
📰 Follow PatsFans.com
Follow Us on Google News Follow on Apple News Get the Newsletter
Right Now At PatsFans.com:
Patriots Rookie Lomu Reveals
2026 NFL Offseason:
Patriots Rookie Lomu Reveals "Weird" First Days at Right Tackle
By: Ian Logue
  • Vrabel's Goal For Christian Barmore in 2026: "Being able to finish"
  • MORSE: Day Three of Patriots Mini-Camp

More Patriots News Headlines:

Patriots Rookie Lomu Reveals “Weird” First Days at Right Tackle

Patriots Rookie Lomu Reveals “Weird” First Days at Right Tackle

By: Ian Logue
Patriots rookie Caleb Lomu details his 'weird' initial adjustment to right tackle after college, now feeling natural with veteran Morgan Moses' help.
2 days ago
Vrabel’s Goal For Christian Barmore in 2026: “Being able to finish”

Vrabel’s Goal For Christian Barmore in 2026: “Being able to finish”

By: Ian Logue
Vrabel challenges Christian Barmore to 'finish' plays and increase sacks in 2026. His season management is also detailed.
2 days ago
MORSE: Day 3 of Patriots Mini-Camp

MORSE: Day 3 of Patriots Mini-Camp

By: Mark Morse
Analyzing Patriots mini-camp Day 3, Drake Maye's red zone work, a late hit, and defensive dominance highlighted a spirited practice.
2 days ago
TRANSCRIPT: Mike Vrabel Press Conference 6/11

TRANSCRIPT: Mike Vrabel Press Conference 6/11

By: Ian Logue
Here's the full transcript of what New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel had to say during his press conference on Thursday, June 11th, 2026.
3 days ago
MORSE: Day 2 of Patriots Mini-Camp

MORSE: Day 2 of Patriots Mini-Camp

By: Mark Morse
Analyzing Day 2 of Patriots Mini-Camp, Elijah Ponder and DeMario Douglas impressed, while Drake Maye works on pre-snap reads with consistent coaching.
3 days ago

Free Newsletter

BE THE FIRST TO KNOW

Join 2,000+ fans getting exclusive stats, analysis, and insights delivered straight to their inbox every week. Never miss a play.

📊
Weekly Stats Deep-dive analysis
🎯
First Access New features & tools
📤
Breaking News Player Signings & Rumors

Subscribe Now

* required

Intuit Mailchimp

PatsFans.com Social Logo
PATSFANS.com

The longest-running independent New England Patriots site online since 2000. Not affiliated w/any school, team or league.

Resources

  • Patriots Forum
  • Schedule
  • Patriots Roster
  • Transcripts
  • Archive

Stats

  • Offensive Stats
  • Opponent Stats
  • Offensive Line
  • Snaps Overview
  • Penalties

Analysis

  • Snap Analysis
  • Personnel Groupings
  • Stats By Personnel
  • Top 10 Plays
  • Offensive Line
  • Defensive Totals

Site

  • About Us
  • Podcast
  • Newsletter
  • Contact Us

© 2000-2026 PatsFans.com

Privacy Policy Advertise RSS Feed