“Pray For LA”: NFL Fans React as Vikings vs. Rams Wild Card Shifts to Arizona

Nidhi | 10/01/2025
SoFi Stadium

The LA wildfires have derailed the third game this week. After a Kings game and a Lakers game were shifted out of California, now the NFL has announced that the Vikings vs Rams Wild Card game will be played in Arizona.

Monday night’s wild-card contest will be played at the home of the Arizona Cardinals, instead of southern California, as had been originally planned. Fans offered prayers for LA amid the ongoing crisis in the city.

The change in plans also impacts the Rams’ home-field advantage, which upset plenty of fans.

Several active wildfires in LA have devasted communities in the Los Angeles area, including Pacific Palisades and Altadena.

These fires have consumed nearly 30,000 acres amid a Santa Ana wind event, leading to evacuation orders for at least 130,000 residents. Tragically, the wildfires have resulted in at least five fatalities and the destruction of over 1,000 buildings.

The game was moved “in the interest of public safety,” the NFL said in a statement. “The decision was made in consultation with public officials, the participating clubs, and the NFLPA.”

The Rams had a planned off day on Wednesday and hence practice was not affected by the wildfires. However, the Los Angeles Chargers, who share SoFi Stadium and are heading to Houston for a wild-card game on Saturday, restricted players’ outdoor practice time due to poor air quality.

The Vikings vs. Rams Wild Card game’s time remains the same, kicking off at 8 p.m. ET.

Post Edited By: Nidhi
LA Rams Minnesota Vikings

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Nidhi

Nidhi is an NFL Editor for The SportsRush. Her interest in NFL began with 'The Blindside' and has been working as an NFL journalist for the past year. As an athlete herself, she uses her personal experience to cover sports immaculately. She is a graduate of English Literature and when not doing deep dives into Mahomes' latest family drama, she inhales books on her kindle like nobody's business. She is proud that she recognised Travis Kelce's charm (like many other NFL fangirls) way before Taylor Swift did, and is waiting with bated breath for the new album to drop.

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