Well before the Patriots unveiled their 2026 NFL schedule, it was clear they were set for a far more challenging season than they had recently, with predictions already suggesting they wouldn't see the same kind of success they accomplished in 2025.
Now that we know what their schedule really is, that sentiment remains the same, if not stronger, particularly given the amount of travel they'll be doing with a few trips to the West Coast and an international game against the Lions in Munich, Germany.
They are set to travel 27,586 miles this upcoming season, the fourth-most in the entire league, and while they are fortunate to have their own team plan to use, it might not be something they're looking forward to as much as they should be.
Over the last few years, we've seen players grade the team plane harshly in the NFLPA's end-of-season survey, and that was still apparent at the end of 2025, when team travel was given an F grade.
It will immediately put a lot of pressure, and maybe even stress, on team owner Robert Kraft, who has made efforts to improve some of the things the players have given negative feedback on, such as building a brand-new training facility at Gillette Stadium.
However, improvements to the team plane have yet to take place, and he might feel the heat even more this year, given how much the team has to use the plane.
Robert Kraft will have his feet to the fire this season over the Patriots' heavy travel schedule
In the years since the results of the NFLPA surveys have become public, which have apparently changed over the past year, teams have been hit hard with the reality that many of their organizations are not as well-run as they might have thought.
They allow players to anonymously provide feedback that affects their work lives, and, in the case of the Patriots, this has triggered many changes around the stadium. And while that's admirable from Kraft, he has yet to make the significant upgrades apparently needed for the team plane, which could become a problem this season.
Because they'll be traveling so much in 2026, the plane's shortcomings will be more relevant than in years past. It will be a constant reminder of the players' biggest complaints and how far the franchise still needs to go, and it might not be something Kraft is willing to do just yet.
Or there is a chance that because it will inevitably be a hot topic, the owner will take it far more seriously and consider making the changes as soon as next offseason, which would be his smartest move.
Regardless, it is something he needs to put at the top of the list of the next-biggest moves to make, whether the players' complaints become a big part of the upcoming season or not. It's clear that it's a lingering problem, and there's no clearer way they can send a message than what they've already done.
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