FOXBORO — For New England Patriots linebacker Benton Whitley, his Tuesday evening meant a little bit more. An off day from his time on the practice field, the 27-year-old — who grew up in Springfield and played his college ball at Holy Cross — traded in his pads for a Bullseye onesie.

He was one of 13 Patriots players who dressed up as Pixar characters for the team’s annual Halloween party for local pediatric cancer patients.

Nearly 40 children from Boston Children’s Hospital, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Hasbro Children’s Hospital, Mass General Hospital and UMass Memorial Hospital made the trip for games, food and activities. A couple members of the MLS’s New England Revolution also came in costumes.

Whitley’s mother passed away in 2017 of cancer, so this event was extra important to him.

“This kind of hits close to home,” Whitley told Patriots On SI inside the Sports Illustrated Pavilion.

“I’m glad to do anything I can.…