The NFL is monitoring the California wildfires that have claimed the lives of at least five people and forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate their homes across Los Angeles County.
The Los Angeles Rams are scheduled to host the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Wild Card round on Monday night inside SoFi Stadium, located in Inglewood, California. The league still plans to play the game at SoFi, but a contingency plan was announced Wednesday night to move the game to State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, the home of the Rams’ NFC West rivals, the Arizona Cardinals, if necessary.
“The NFL’s priority is the safety of the Los Angeles community. We are grateful for the tireless efforts of first responders. Our hearts go out to Los Angeles and everyone affected by the fires,” the NFL said in a statement. “We continue to prepare to play the Vikings-Rams game as scheduled on Monday night at SoFi Stadium. As with all games, contingency plans are in place should a change of location be necessary. In this case, the game would be played Monday night at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ, if necessary, we will continue to closely monitor developments in the area and remain in contact with public officials, both from the clubs and the NFLPA.”
The league has a recent history of changing the location of a game due to weather circumstances. In 2022, the Browns and Bills played at Ford Field in Detroit due to a “winter storm with lake effect snow” that was scheduled to hit the Buffalo area before kickoff. Last January, the NFL postponed the Steelers-Bills wild-card game a day after a severe snowstorm hit the Buffalo area.
Given the current situation in Los Angeles, the alternative stadium options the NFL was considering for Monday night were a given.
The Rams won a home playoff game as NFC West champions. The Vikings were denied a home playoff game after losing to the Lions in a Week 18 matchup that ultimately determined which team earned the coveted NFC No. 1 seed and the playoff bye that comes with it. The Lions also won the NFC North division by beating the Vikings, who had to settle for a wild card spot in the playoffs despite going 14-3 during the regular season.
