The Rams are set to host their wild-card playoff game nearly 400 miles east of Los Angeles due to the ongoing wildfires.

The Rams are set to host their wild-card playoff game nearly 400 miles east of Los Angeles due to the ongoing wildfires.

The Los Angeles Rams found a temporary home on Monday night for their NFL wild-card playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings, relocating nearly 400 miles east of their usual SoFi Stadium due to devastating wildfires in Los Angeles.

The Rams, NFC West champions, played as the designated home team at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona — typically home to their division rival, the Arizona Cardinals. The venue shift was finalized Thursday, just days after the wildfires erupted.

“When we made that decision, the league comes together,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell explained during an ESPN interview. “We have contingency plans every week, and this location worked perfectly for the Los Angeles Rams and their fans. I’m proud to say 45,000 Rams fans made the journey here, which is extraordinary.”

Despite the unusual circumstances, Rams fans showed up in droves, filling much of the parking lot for pregame tailgating. The stadium’s decor reflected the home team status with blue and yellow end zones, a midfield Rams logo, and free team-branded towels handed out to attendees. Signs like “Thank You Firefighters and First Responders” and “LA Together” were prominently displayed, paying tribute to those battling the fires.

In the game’s early stages, Los Angeles had plenty of reasons to celebrate, jumping to a 24-3 halftime lead.

Among the fans in attendance was Gilberto Aguilar, a Rams season ticket holder from the San Fernando Valley. Despite the unexpected venue change, Aguilar was determined to support his team, emphasizing his gratitude that his family and friends remained safe amid the wildfires.

“I feel for everyone in Los Angeles impacted by this disaster,” Aguilar said. “I knew I had to be here to support both my team and the first responders.”

Before kickoff, former Rams left tackle Andrew Whitworth addressed the crowd, offering a message of solidarity: “We’ll rebuild LA hand in hand together.”

Rams running back Kyren Williams echoed those sentiments. “This game is for LA,” he said Saturday. “It’s for hope back at home. We want to provide a little distraction and positivity.”

State Farm Stadium, with its 63,400-seat capacity, was nearly full at kickoff.

Game relocations are rare but not unprecedented in the NFL. Arizona has served as a fallback location before, including during the 2003 wildfires in Southern California and during the San Francisco 49ers’ 2020 relocation due to COVID-19 restrictions in Santa Clara County.