Patriots Training Camp Photo Gallery

A ticket to see the New England Patriots play a regular season home game is going to set you back at least $100--if you can get one! But you can get nearer to Patriots star players like Tom Brady, Wes Welker, Deion Branch, Devin McCourty, Vince Wilfork, Julian Edelman and Danny Woodhead than you ever imagined without spending a cent. Patriots Training Camp, held at the Practice Field behind Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts, is the best deal in NFL football: Admission is free.

I was in Foxboro July 28 to watch the Patriots get back to work on the opening day of Training Camp 2011. These pictures capture the football excitement that awaits fans, from cheerleader and player autograph sessions to mascot photo ops to the Patriots Experience: a football fun park for kids. My favorite part of Patriots Training Camp was watching Coach Bill Belichick and his staff run practice and seeing the players begin preparations for a season I hope will end with a fourth Super Bowl victory.