The Los Angeles Rams paid tribute Monday night to the first responders and those impacted by the wildfires during the Rams 27-9 wild-card victory over the Minnesota Vikings, a poignant moment full of hometown pride as the community stood together.
Emotional remembrances for the victims of the disaster marked the pregame ceremonies, with the Rams wearing special LAFD gear on the sideline to honor the firefighters battling the blazes.
Before kickoff, the Rams’ mascot, Rampage, along with the Cardinals flag crew, ran onto the field with “LA Together” flags.
Once the game got started, the emotion of the last week poured out of the Rams in the form of football dominance.
After the game, Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford addressed the obstacles the team overcame.
“We knew what we were playing for today. It was go get this win but this is for the people of Los Angeles, struggling right now. It’s unbelievable to watch the whole community, the state, the country get behind them. It’s a tough time to be back there,” Stafford said. “We’re just happy we came out and played like this tonight to give us something to be happy about.”
Location Change: The Rams were the home team, but the game was played in Phoenix due to the fire devastation on Southern California.
