FOXBORO — In a move being kept deliberately quiet by the organization, the New England Patriots have arranged for clam chowder from a Newport restaurant to be served on the sideline during the upcoming Super Bowl, according to multiple sources familiar with the plan.
The restaurant’s name is being withheld until after the game, with team officials citing competitive considerations.
Head coach Mike Vrabel defended the unconventional approach and dismissed concerns about the wisdom of consuming chowder on the gridiron.
“If players are throwing up chunks of clam and potato on the field, that’s a good sign,” Vrabel said. “It means they’re leaving it all out there — including the chowder.”
Players will be consuming chowder in controlled portions throughout the week, including a serving before kickoff, with the goal of entering the game “fully chowded.”
The decision was also influenced by the knowledge that the Seahawks have arranged to have Seattle-based Starbucks coffee available during the game.
According to one Patriots source, the move prompted a clear response.
“When we heard they were doing Starbucks, that settled it,” the source said. “That’s their thing. We needed our thing.”
As part of the arrangement, the restaurant will deploy a specialized sideline unit referred to as “Chowder Techs.” The technicians are responsible for preparing, monitoring, and dispensing the chowder throughout the game.
The Chowder Techs have been practicing alongside the team all week, running simulated game-day scenarios that include third-down situations, extended defensive stands, and two-minute drills.
“It takes a lot of practice and conditioning to be able to run out on the field with hot chowder during a timeout and not have a spill,” said one member of the coaching staff.
According to sources, Patriots staff secretly tested chowder from multiple New England “chowder powerhouses,” including well-known spots in Boston, the North Shore, and coastal Maine. Samples were judged on taste, ingredient quality, and what one evaluator described as “the Brady factor.”
The undisclosed Newport restaurant prevailed on all fronts. Staffers were also impressed by the restaurant’s competitive mindset, noting that its team asked detailed questions about game script, weather conditions, and which flavors of Gatorade pair best with chowder.
“You look across the field and you see the other team downing bowls of chowder — that’s gonna get in your head, because on paper it sure seems like a bad idea,” said a special teams player. “But I trust Coach Vrabel. He’s been here before.”