NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and the league made a last-second decision to move the Los Angeles Rams and Minnesota Vikings playoff game from SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, to State Farm Stadium in Arizona due to wildfires in southern California.
The move came with little notice, as the decision was made on Thursday. Because the game was played on Monday instead of the weekend, the teams had an extra day to pack up, get out of the trap and head south to play the game while emergency officials rushed to put out the infernos. in the Los Angeles area.
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NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, left, speaks with referee John Hussey before an NFL wild card playoff football game between the Los Angeles Rams and Minnesota Vikings, Monday, Jan. 13, 2025, in Glendale, Arizona. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Goodell spoke about this unprecedented measure in an interview with ESPN.
“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. “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.
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NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell watches before an NFL Wild Card Playoff football game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Minnesota Vikings, Monday, Jan. 13, 2025, in Glendale, Arizona. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
“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.”
In fact, Rams fans made that trip to Glendale, Arizona. The organization even painted the field in Rams colors and the large Los Angeles logo in the middle of the field.
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 fans hold signs before an NFL wild card playoff football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Monday, Jan. 13, 2025, in Glendale, Arizona. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
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.
