The illness that spread throughout the Patriots' locker room over the last week is evidently no joke.
According to ESPN, when the team left New England for Houston ahead of Sunday night's Week 13 game, it took two planes, "one to accommodate those who were sick and keep others away from them."
Presumably, the players who traveled on the "sick" plane were the nine who were listed as questionable with an illness on the Patriots' injury report for the Texans game: Cornerbacks Stephon Gilmore and Joejuan Williams, linebackers Jamie Collins, Dont'a Hightower and Kyle Van Noy, offensive tackles Isaiah Wynn and Marcus Cannon, safety Patrick Chung and offensive lineman Jermaine Eluemunor.
Tight end Ryan Izzo was the only player the Patriots ruled out with the illness.
MORE: How the Patriots can clinch a playoff spot in Week 13
Good thing Patriots owner Robert Kraft in 2017 invested in a couple Boeing 767 jets to serve as the team's private planes. When he did so, New England became the first NFL franchise to invest in one plane, let alone two, to fly to games.
Per ESPN, the planes the Patriots purchased and retrofitted with first-class seating, "depending on miles flown and condition, generally cost between $5 million and $65 million. A source said the planes the Patriots bought are extended range, which allows the planes to fly nonstop for about 12 hours. A brand-new plane could cost $200 million."
The Patriots opened as four-point road favorites against the Texans for their "Sunday Night Football" game, but that line has dropped to -3 in the days leading up to the game.