World Cup
Several statues across Boston have been the subject of the Tartan Army’s hijinks over the past week.
Julian Edelman partied with the Tartan Army over the weekend. Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe
June 21, 2026 | 6:35 PM
2 minutes to read
Julian Edelman is no stranger to partying down the streets of Boston after winning three Super Bowl titles with the Patriots.
As such, the New England Patriots legend was more than ready to lend a helping hand when it comes to Scottish fans’ penchant for adorning just about any statue within eyesight with a traffic cone.
Edelman, who joined Rob Gronkowski in partying alongside the Tartan Army during their weeklong residency in Boston for the 2026 World Cup, got in on the festivities at Boston’s Public Garden.
Edelman — donning a kilt of his own — helped give a boost to one Scot as he placed a traffic cone atop the famous statue of George Washington in the park.
Washington is far from the only statue in Boston that has been the target of the Scots’ hijinks — with effigies dedicated to the likes of Samuel Adams, Paul Revere, Bill Russell, Bobby Orr, and even the “Make Way For Ducklings” ducks also getting some new headwear amid the Scots’ sustained revelry in Boston.
A traffic cone on the head of the mother ducking in the Public Garden. (Jack Daryl Photography)A traffic cone sits atop the statue of Samuel Adams as morning commuters pass Faneuil Hall in Boston, MA on June 17, 2026. (Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff)
The Scots have also made their mark in several nearby cities and towns, including Quincy and Salem.
The Scots’ tradition of placing cones atop statues originated in Glasgow during the 1980s, when late-night partiers made it a habit of placing a cone atop a statue dedicated to the Duke of Wellington outside the Gallery of Modern Art.
While the Tartan Army has now moved south to watch Scotland take on Brazil in Miami later this week, their impact on Boston has been evident — especially when it comes to their hard-partying ways during this international soccer tournament.
“This is the second time in 12 years that the city of Boston has been drank dry,” Gronkowski said of Scotland fans during a spot for Fox Sports. “Congratulations to the Scotland army, the Tartan Army, they are absolutely fabulous. They are sloppy, but a respected sloppy fanbase, they’re great people.”
Boston’s statues may not be in the clear when it comes to the Tartan Army’s tomfoolery — as Scotland could return to “Boston Stadium” later this month for a Round of 32 matchup against Group E winner Germany.
While Germany punched their ticket to that matchup on June 29 after both beating Côte d’Ivoire on Saturday and watching Curaçao draw with Ecuador, Scotland stands as the current favorite to post a third-place finish in Group C and return to Boston next week.
Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.
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