ARIZONA CARDINALS

Cardinals could stay out east between Week 4-5 trips to Panthers, Jets

May 8, 2020, 8:20 AM

Arizona Cardinals fans cheer after the team defeated the Seattle Seahawks in an NFL football game, ...

Arizona Cardinals fans cheer after the team defeated the Seattle Seahawks in an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2019, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

(AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

The Arizona Cardinals have discussed staying on the East Coast between a Week 4 visit to the Carolina Panthers followed by a trip to face the New York Jets.

Team president and chairman Michael Bidwill said on the Big Red Rage Thursday that the Cardinals could look into a return to The Greenbrier, a West Virginia resort that last served as a week-long camp location for the team in 2015.

“Steve and I talked about it this morning,” Bidwill said. “I think when we look at it, yes. We’ll look at The Greenbrier. We’ll look at some other places, too.

“We’re going to analyze that as we get a little deeper into the details, but it’s exciting to try to minimize that East Coast, three-hour time change and the long flights. You know, having those two back-to-back is great.”

In total, if the Cardinals decide to return home between each road game, they will have racked up 22,672 miles of flight during the 2020 season.

The first three weeks will be a breeze for the birds, as the Cardinals open with a San Francisco trip and then head home for the next two games against Washington and Detroit.

But then, in Weeks 4-6, they have three straight weeks on the road, traveling to Charlotte to face the Panthers (1,774 miles away), MetLife Stadium for the Jets (2,133 miles) and Dallas to play the Cowboys (868 miles).

In traveling back and forth over those three weeks alone, the Cardinals would rack up 9,550 miles. Certainly, staying out east could minimize the back-and-forth between time zones connected by long flights.

After that, three home games against the Seahawks (Week 7), Dolphins (Week 9) and Bills (Week 10) are broken up by a Week 8 bye.

But three of the next four games after hosting Buffalo are on the road. Two are across the country.

After a flight to Seattle for Week 11, the Cardinals will travel 2,300 miles one-way to play the New England Patriots. They’ll then fly back home and take on the Rams in Week 13 before heading to MetLife Stadium for a second time in 2020 to see the Giants.

That’s the final long trip. Arizona hosts the Eagles and Niners in Weeks 15-16 before closing the season against the Rams in Los Angeles.

Even with all that, 2020 would have been even more travel-heavy if Arizona’s planned game in Mexico City at Estadio Azteca was not moved back to State Farm Stadium.

A flight to and from Mexico City for a “home” game would have added 2,502 total miles.

All miles were calculated using AirMilesCalculator.

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