Good Morning America Ignites Patriots Rally And Texas Debate

Early Friday morning in Foxborough, Massachusetts, the atmosphere was electric. Patriots fans, clad in jerseys and brimming with anticipation, gathered at Patriots Place and The Harp, where Good Morning America had set up shop for a special broadcast. With the New England Patriots preparing to face the Denver Broncos in a crucial playoff game, the energy was palpable as fans rallied not just for their team, but for the chance to be part of a national moment.

For Leila Bryant, the occasion carried special significance. "Everybody at Gillette knows me for my playoff hat that I haven't been able to wear for five or six years, so thank you, team. I get to wear it for, not only once, twice, but hopefully three times," she told Good Morning America. Bryant’s sentiment captured the mood of a fanbase that had waited years to dust off their playoff gear, hoping for another shot at glory.

Veteran fan James Woods, sporting a Super Bowl hat adorned with pins from 44 championship games he’s attended, reminisced about his first experience. "My first Super Bowl was in New Orleans, 1978. The ticket was only $30," Woods recounted, a reminder of how much both the sport and its traditions have grown. Stacy Murphy, another die-hard, summed up the collective feeling: "The team is so strong this year. You brought New England back to this exciting moment — to feel it again this year has made us all come along, hence we got up real early in the morning to do this."

But excitement was tinged with a dose of realism. The Patriots have never won a playoff game at Denver’s Mile High Stadium, with painful losses in 2006, 2014, and 2016 still fresh in the minds of many. Sunday’s game, set for a 3 p.m. kickoff, promises high drama. The winner will advance to face either the Seattle Seahawks or the Los Angeles Rams in the Super Bowl—a tantalizing prospect for Patriots Nation, eager to rewrite history in Denver.

While Good Morning America spotlighted the Patriots rally in Massachusetts, the morning show itself has been making headlines for its own cross-country journey. Since July 2025, the program has embarked on a nationwide tour, visiting each state in the order they joined the Union. The tour, which will culminate on July 4, 2026, in celebration of America’s 250th birthday, has been a showcase of local flavor and community spirit.

This week, Texas took center stage. Yet, as reported by the Houston Chronicle and local San Antonio outlets, the show’s Texas Week itinerary raised eyebrows. Despite San Antonio’s status as one of the largest cities in Texas—and a major tourist draw—the city was notably absent from the broadcast schedule. Instead, Good Morning America focused on Arlington, two stops in the Houston area, and wrapped up near El Paso in Big Bend National Park.

San Antonio’s omission didn’t go unnoticed. Local voices pointed out the city’s vibrant food scene—home to Curry Boys BBQ, Tellez Tamales & Barbacoa, and a branch of the Culinary Institute of America—as well as its cultural and scientific institutions. The U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research, a world-renowned burn center, and UT Health San Antonio, known for breakthroughs in cancer treatment, both call the city home. Add in unique local businesses, storied record stores, and the natural beauty of the Hill Country, and it’s clear why some felt the city deserved the national spotlight.

Michael Strahan, Good Morning America host and Houston native, addressed the show’s Texas focus. "Texas is so big and has so much to offer. Every city has its own interesting culture in its own way, and I'm just happy to be able to go back and celebrate that," Strahan told the Houston Chronicle. He’s set to close out Texas Week with a visit to the Big Bend Region, a nod to the state’s vastness and diversity.

Elsewhere in the world of morning news, local stations are innovating to keep up with changing viewer habits. In Des Moines, Iowa, WOI Local 5 made a significant move by expanding its morning show, "Good Morning Iowa," to run from 5 a.m. to 8 a.m. The station is now the first in the area to offer live, local news during the 7 to 8 a.m. slot on streaming platforms like Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, and its own website. The extension, which began January 19, 2026, means viewers can catch anchors Joseph Holloway and Dana Searles, along with meteorologist Chase Bullman, for an extra hour each morning.

WOI News Director Matt Kalish explained the rationale in a statement: "Local news drives daily decisions. By expanding Good Morning Iowa to 8 a.m. on We Are Iowa+, we’re giving our viewers more opportunities to access live, local coverage during a time of day when it’s been largely unavailable and streaming it on mobile platforms that can be accessed easily from virtually any screen." According to the Des Moines Register, this move keeps ABC’s national Good Morning America on traditional TV, while meeting the growing demand for local news on digital devices.

The expansion in Des Moines reflects a broader trend as stations look to blend local relevance with national reach. WHO 13, another Iowa station, recently shifted its 9 p.m. newscast to streaming-only platforms, adapting to how audiences now consume news. As more viewers turn to mobile and on-demand services, stations like WOI Local 5 are reimagining how—and when—they deliver the day’s headlines.

Back in Foxborough, as Sunday’s kickoff approaches, Patriots fans are holding onto hope and tradition. The playoff hats are out, the memories of past heartbreaks in Denver are fresh, and the sense of community is stronger than ever. Whether in a packed sports bar, a living room in Iowa, or along the rivers of San Antonio, the morning news—local or national—remains a thread that ties Americans together, reflecting both the stories that unite us and the unique flavors of each community.

As Good Morning America continues its tour and local stations expand their reach, the landscape of morning television is evolving. But the core remains unchanged: it’s about people, their stories, and the moments that bring them together—whether for a football game, a city’s culinary triumph, or simply the promise of a new day.