Live Updates: Los Angeles wildfires, Palisades and Eaton fires, Santa Ana Winds return

In a sports-crazed Los Angeles, the Rams embrace their role as the city’s beacon in a dark time as wildfires ravage Southern California.

“Everything you did, you represented exactly what we men wanted to be. A city that’s going through a lot of different things that can look to you and say, ‘I’m proud of this group,'” head coach Sean McVay told the team in the locker room after a win moving. the Minnesota Vikings on Monday in the wild-card round of the playoffs.

Off the field, it’s hard to imagine a team facing more difficult circumstances. Players and coaches, including McVay, had to evacuate their homes.

One of the fires broke out just a few miles from the organization’s training facility in Woodland Hills, California. Out of concern for safety, the NFL moved the team’s game against the Vikings from SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., to State Farm Stadium outside Phoenix.

Before kickoff, Los Angeles mascot Rampage, along with the Arizona Cardinals flag crew, ran onto the field with “LA Together” flags. A moment of silent reflection for wildfire victims took place before the playing of the national anthem.

It was important for the league to support the city of Los Angeles, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said Monday.

“One of the things we wanted to do by playing this game tonight is send that message to the people of Los Angeles that the NFL, this community, all the communities in this country and around the world are here for them. support, support them and is going to contribute to the comeback of Los Angeles,” Goodell said in an interview with ESPN before the contest.

Read the full story: The Los Angeles Rams embrace their role as a beacon of light for their fire-ravaged hometown