LA Rams face crucial playoff game in Arizona amid LA’s fire crisis

The Los Angeles Rams wrapped up practice Friday under the eerie sight of blue skies tainted with the smoke of raging wildfires from the Los Angeles area. As the team prepared for their playoff showdown with the Minnesota Vikings, their thoughts were not solely on football but on the devastating wildfires affecting their hometown.

The Rams (10-7) are gearing up for their most important game of the season against the Vikings (14-3) in a postseason clash at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, after being forced to relocate due to the ongoing wildfires in Southern California. The team’s preparations have been overshadowed by the catastrophe unfolding in their community, but they remain resolute in their determination to play for those who have been displaced and impacted by the fires.

“We’re going in there for everybody in Los Angeles—everybody affected by the fires, everybody displaced, everybody evacuated,” said Rams linebacker Michael Hoecht. “That’s what this week’s for, for us. That’s what we play for.”

The Fires’ Impact on the Team

As the Rams began their travel to Arizona, a group of 355 people, including players, coaches, staff, and even six dogs and two cats, boarded two planes provided by the Arizona Cardinals. The team’s journey to Phoenix was emblematic of the extraordinary circumstances they found themselves in, with wildfires encroaching ever closer to their training complex.

For much of the week, the Rams have been struggling to separate their personal concerns from their professional duties. Many players, coaches, and staff live in areas affected by the wildfires, and some had already evacuated their homes as precaution. The fires hit particularly close to home for head coach Sean McVay, whose wife and young son had to leave their residence as the flames came dangerously close.

“Fortunately, they got those things under control, but as soon as I got off the practice field and because of where they were, I saw them right away,” McVay said. “That was all I needed. It felt a lot more real… it hits home in a different way.”

Rams chief operating officer Kevin Demoff expressed the somber reality of the situation: “Our community is hurting right now, so our organization is hurting. But we have a chance on Monday, whether it’s in person or on television, to provide hope and a respite to our fans and our city, and to so many people who need it.”

A Change of Plans: Relocating the Game

Initially, the Rams were hopeful that their playoff game against Minnesota could still take place at their home stadium, SoFi Stadium. However, as the fires continued to rage and the Kenneth Fire broke out near their training complex, it became evident that the team and the NFL had to pivot to Plan B. Discussions with local public safety officials made it clear that holding the game in Los Angeles was no longer feasible.

“We had a conversation with local public safety officials, and they began to express doubt about whether they could adequately staff the game,” Demoff said. “It was pretty clear that the right thing to do was not to play the game. That was before we went to practice and had players evacuated because of the Kenneth Fire, and the flare-up that we could all see.”

With the relocation confirmed, the Rams expressed gratitude toward the Arizona Cardinals, who offered their team planes and training complex to help facilitate the transition. In addition, State Farm Stadium will be rebranded to give the Rams a semblance of a home-field advantage, with painted grass and team signage, though the stadium will still be filled with a mix of fans from both teams.

Rams fans responded quickly, purchasing 25,000 tickets within the first hour of availability, and additional travel arrangements, including buses from Inglewood to Glendale, were made to ensure the stadium would be filled with loud Rams supporters.

Keeping Families and Pets Safe

With the fires affecting homes in the area, the Rams took additional steps to ease players’ worries by ensuring their families—and even pets—were safe. Tight end Tyler Higbee humorously referred to the situation as “Noah’s Ark” due to the large number of pets traveling to Arizona with the team.

“My wife was going to stay, but now it’s like, the last thing I want is being in Arizona while we’ve got a fire here, and my wife and daughter are by themselves,” Higbee said.

A Heartbreaking Decision but a Necessary One

Demoff acknowledged the disappointment of the situation but stressed that the team was focused on the bigger picture. “It’s heartbreaking for our fans, for our players,” he said. “Our players earned a home playoff game, which is a great testament to them, but this situation merits that we play somewhere else. It doesn’t take away from what they earned. It doesn’t take away from the amazing season that we’ve had. It’s just a recognition that there’s some things bigger than football.”

The Rams’ ability to adapt to these circumstances is a testament to their resilience, and their commitment to providing some hope and a temporary distraction to their community amid these trying times is a powerful message to their fans.