Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford acknowledged how important Monday night’s playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings was in the midst of a natural disaster at home.
The Rams-Vikings matchup was moved from SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, to State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, due to wildfires ravaging the Los Angeles area. The Rams practiced once at their facility before heading to Arizona to prepare for the game.
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Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, #9, throws against the Minnesota Vikings during the first half of an NFL Wild Card playoff football game on Monday, Jan. 13, 2025 in Glendale, Arizona. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Rams fans still showed up at the stadium and cheered on their team as they won the game, 27-9.
“There were definitely every excuse possible to come here and be lethargic and woe is me and all that, but we knew we weren’t just playing for ourselves,” he told reporters via Pro Football Talk. “Playing for people at home who needed something to watch and enjoy and I’m glad we were able to give it to them.”
Stafford was among the players and coaches who supported the Los Angeles Fire Department before and during the game, wearing T-shirts that said “LAFD.”
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell spoke about the decision to postpone the game earlier Monday.
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford answers a question during a press conference after an NFL wild card playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings on Monday, Jan. 13, 2025, in Glendale, Arizona. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
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“What people are going through in Los Angeles, the devastation, the loss, the pain that we all feel for them, we knew the game couldn’t be played there on Thursday,” he said on ESPN. “Public safety and endangering all of that is not something we do. And we wanted to make sure that the focus of first responders was taking care of the people who are struggling so much out there.
“When we make that decision, the league comes together. We have preparations or what we call contingency plans that include two stadiums every week, and this was a perfect fit as far as the location for the Los Angeles Rams fans, and me.” I’m proud to say that 45,000 of them made the journey here, which is simply extraordinary. “Everyone came together and Michael Bidwell and the Cardinals are at the top of that list.”
Before the game, the Rams were among 12 teams in the Los Angeles and Anaheim area to announce a combined $8 million donation to those affected by the wildfires.
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, No. 9, throws before an NFL wild card playoff football game against the Minnesota Vikings on Monday, Jan. 13, 2025, in Glendale, Arizona. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
The money will go to support victims and those fighting the fires. American Red Cross, Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation, California Firefighters Foundation, Eaton Canyon Fire Relief and Recovery Fund, World Central Kitchen, California Community Foundation Wildlife Recovery Fund California, Team Rubicon and several other local animal rescue organizations were named as recipients of the donation.
