AZ Cardinals pack for big game in Charlotte

TEMPE, Ariz. (KSAZ) - The Arizona Cardinals are packing a lot of gear for their trip this weekend. The team is taking nearly 14,000 of gear with them to Charlotte, including thousands of pounds of winter gear including coats, capes, and gloves.

The team is bringing cleats with longer studs in them, hand muffs, heating packs, anything to stay warm and prepared for the big game.

It's equipment manager Mark Ahlemeier's job to make sure everything the team needs to beat the Panthers and stay warm is packed and ready to go.

The team usually hauls about 8,000 pounds of gear to the game, but this week they're taking all their rain and cold weather gear.

"The cold weather jackets, capes, turtlenecks, knit hats, quarterback mitts," said Ahlemeier.

By the time all the bags and trunks are packed the equipment will tip the scales at about 14,000 pounds. Two large moving trucks will be loaded Saturday morning, and the gear will be transferred to the airport and loaded onto the team's plane.

The team is taking 60 coats and capes along with several bags of thermal long sleeved shirts.

14,000 pounds of baggage is a lot, but Ahlemeier is a pro at it.

"Been doing it a long time, so it's kind of like clockwork," said Ahlemeier.

Each player has a checklist of gear they need to pack, and each bag is checked by the equipment team to make sure they don't forget anything, they do that for every game.

"We treat it like any other game; every game is a big game," he said.

The gear flies on the same plane as the players where it will then be taken to Bank of America Stadium.