The most popular facility upgrade at the Carolina Panther’s training camp isn’t AI-enabled tech or fancy locker rooms, but an unassuming gray trailer-like building.
The Body Recovery Zone 40 — or BRZ40 for short — is a cooling trailer that gets down to 20 degrees. The trailer can accommodate several players at once, and it is a lifesaver for the players and coaches working in the humidity and heat of Charlotte, N.C., this summer.
The drastic change in temperature, from the training field to BRZ40, helps the Panthers maintain mental focus, stay hydrated and reduce fatigue. It is also a helpful tool to fight heatstroke.
Dr. Douglas Casa, who advises the NFL on heat-related illness prevention said, “We’ve seen them in some big-time college programs and NFL programs. I’m a huge fan of them if they are using them during rest breaks, recovery periods…basically like a big chill zone.”
According to The Herald, Panther’s right tackle Taylor Morton said, “You feel refreshed. It’s like — remember those old Peppermint Patty commercials? You take a bite and then you end up on that mountaintop. That’s like how I feel when I go in there, to be honest. It’s very refreshing.”
The BRZ40 was a $200,000 upgrade made by team owners as a part of the practice area’s overall renovation. It weighs in at 12,400 pounds and measures 40 feet long, there is a lot of power behind the simple trailer.
The Herald
“Always good to cool down, especially after hot practice. We do JUGS (workouts) and stuff after, so just give myself a quick little break, cool my temperature down and let my body just relax — helps you a lot, obviously. Not too much shade here, so just to lower your body temperature, it helps a lot,” said Chuba Hubbard, top running back for the Panthers.
Other NFL teams using similar cooling stations include the Las Vegas Raiders, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Houston Texans. All of these warm-weather teams have needed reliable ways to cool down during pre-season practices.
