The wildfire storm raging in Los Angeles County forced the Los Angeles Rams to relocate Monday’s Wild Card playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings to the the Glendale, Ariz., stadium where the Arizona Cardinals play. But the emotion spurred by the devastation in the Rams’ hometown was front and center before the kickoff at the game carried live by ESPN’s “.”
Rams players including Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua, Matthew Stafford and coach Sean McVay wore special “LAFD” T-shirts designed with the Rams’ logo before the game began. Rams’ hero Andrew Whitworth, the retired offensive lineman who helped lead the team to victory at the 2021 Super Bowl, addressed the crowd at State Farm Stadium with a rally cry for the disaster-scarred city.
“We are strong. We will not be defined by this devastation. We will rebuild L.A., hand in hand together for as long as it takes and whatever it takes. We will build it together,” Whitworth said. “Los Angeles, I love you. We love you and we are with you.”
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A moment of silence was then observed in the stadium in honor of the hundreds of thousands of Los Angeles County residents who have been displaced by the fires that have raged since Jan. 7. ESPN’s cameras panned across the stadium, showing the emotion on the faces of Rams fans who made the trek east to cheer on the team in their quest to advance in the NFL playoffs.
Singer Rachel Platten, known for the fiesty anthem “Fight Song,” performed the National Anthem. The longtime Los Angeles resident broke up at the end, looking into ESPN’s cameras with tears in her eyes.
As Whitworth observed, “Entire communities have been devastated and there’s still more work to do together. The courage and bravery of our firefighters and first responders prove that real-life heroes live among us.”
During a commercial break, ESPN ran short digital videos of notable L.A. celebrities, including actors Anne Hathaway and Bryan Cranston, expressing gratitude for the work of firefighters and first responders. Snoop Dogg and Jimmy Kimmel appeared together in a video. “Stay strong, L.A.,” Kimmel said. Snoop added, “Thanks to everyone who’s helping us get through this terrible tragedy. We in this together.”
(Pictured: Former L.A. Rams player Andrew Whitworth addresses the crowd at State Farm Stadium on Jan. 13, 2025)
Angelique Jackson and Carole Horst contributed to this report.