Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera wants his team used to elements
While most of Charlotte will try everything to stay inside this week because of the cold, Ron Rivera wants his Carolina Panthers on the field, even if that means in the freezing rain or snow.
Charlotte could see a wintry mix this week and into Sunday’s game against the Cardinals. That won’t drive the Panthers inside, though.
“One thing I wanted to get the guys to understand is this is what we’re going to play in, so get used to it,” Rivera said Wednesday afternoon after there was a sprinkling of snow to start practice. “Let’s get used to handling the football, catching the football, running around and bumping into each other. It was probably what it’s going to be like. I thought it was a good atmosphere for our guys. I thought they handled it well and I liked the energy that we had at practice. It was brisk.”
The Panthers have already reached out to the Charlotte Convention Center to check on availability for the ballroom in case inclement weather forces the team inside. But Rivera plans to do everything he can to stay outside, even if that means adjusting the practice schedule to miss some of the bad weather.
But could this be an advantage for the Panthers this week? They’re playing a Cardinals team that practices in the Arizona desert and plays in a climate-controlled dome. A few days of practice in the cold and elements could help the Panthers acclimate to it better than the Cardinals.
“It’s interesting because a lot of people have made the comment that they’ve been at home for the last four weeks,” said Rivera, noting Arizona hasn’t played a road game since Dec. 20. “Their last few games have been at home. I don’t want to call it an advantage as much as just like when Seattle had to go to Minnesota (in negative-degree weather). It’s an eye opener. It really is. The conditions will be the same for both teams. It’s going to be cold. And if it’s rainy, it’s rainy, and if it’s snowing, it’s snowing.”
This story was originally published January 20, 2016 at 7:20 PM with the headline "Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera wants his team used to elements."