The NFL wild-card playoff between the Los Angeles Rams and the Minnesota Vikings has been moved to Arizona after days of devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area.
The game will be played on Monday night at State Farm Stadium, the home of the Arizona Cardinals.
Fires have spread through an area several miles from the Rams’ training complex in LA, with the league saying the decision was made “in the interest of public safety.”
"Every time we suit up, we're the Los Angeles Rams. We play for the people in this community, the people that support us, and this week will be another example of that." -QB Matthew Stafford pic.twitter.com/InMzZY3K6J
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) January 9, 2025
The out-of-control wildfires have caused at least 10 deaths, burned down hundreds of buildings, and prompted evacuation orders for nearly 180,000 residents across the county.
While none of the fires are burning near the Rams’ SoFi Stadium in Inglewood — which is southwest of downtown Los Angeles — the NFL opted to move the game amid concerns about air quality, the strain put on the community and the possible demands on police and fire department personnel.
Rams coach Sean McVay had been optimistic the game could be played at SoFi Stadium as scheduled. Speakling before the decision was taken he said: “We would like to be able to play the game at home in front of our fans.
“That’s the way that we’re operating, but I can’t control when that decision will be made. … If it’s not in LA, then the game will still be played, and we’ve got to be able to get ready for that.”
In 2003, the NFL moved a game between the Chargers and Dolphins from San Diego to Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe to avoid wildfires in Southern California.
“We’ve lost power where I am for a couple of days,” quarterback Matthew Stafford said. “We’ve been lucky in that regard, that (loss of) power is the worst thing that’s happened to us.
“Obviously it’s a tough thing to watch on the news, to be around, to see. Driving around, seeing all that, it’s just really sad to see what’s going on.
“A bunch of people (are) doing everything they possibly can to try and get things under control and get people back to normal as quickly as possible.”
