Have you ever met your heroes in person?

Soon-to-be fifth- and sixth-grade students in the City of Binghamton's tackle football program were given this rare opportunity Friday, when they boarded a bus to East Rutherford, New Jersey, to visit MetLife Stadium, home of the New York Giants.

But their trip was not confined to the stadium's seats.

The players took to the field, where they met New York Giants players, watched them face off against the Chicago Bears in a preseason game and even had the chance to play an exhibition game of their own at halftime.

And the players received more than a once-in-a-lifetime trip.

The New York Giants Foundation also gifted the team with a $10,000 donation to be used for new equipment. The donation was presented by New York Giants players Antoine Bethea and Michael Thomas.

The two players signed T-shirts and brought the kids in for a huddle, where they cheered "1, 2, 3 Giants!"

The players returned to Binghamton just before 1 a.m. Saturday.

The trip came at no cost to the players and was open to any fifth- or sixth-graders in the City of Binghamton.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for Binghamton youth to play in an NFL stadium in front of tens of thousands of fans,” Binghamton Mayor Richard David said in a call for players at the beginning of the month. “We thank the Mara family and New York Giants organization for showcasing Binghamton’s youth sports programs and the incredible experience they’re providing for kids.”

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