• Rams quarterback shared message of support to LA wildfire victims after playoff victory
  • Rams had to relocate to Phoenix’s State Farm Stadium due to wildfires in Los Angeles
  • Stafford threw for two touchdowns in 27-9 victory over the Minnesota Vikings
Image: Imago

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford sent a heartfelt message of support to LA wildfire victims after inspiring the Rams to a 27-9 victory over the Minnesota Vikings in the Wild Card round of the NFL playoffs.

The Rams may have entered the Wild Card round with home field advantage, but due to the wildfires in LA, Sean McVay’s team were forced to relocate to the Arizona Cardinals’ State Farm Stadium. Not that the move presented any issues for the Rams on the field, as they swept aside the heavily favoured Vikings.

Stafford, who had only recorded an average of 153 passing yards in his previous three games coming into the playoffs, rediscovered his form at the perfect time to throw for two touchdowns, completing 19 of his 27 passes, gaining 154 yards in the first half alone.

Stafford dedicates Wild Card Win to LA Wildfire Victims

The veteran quarterback, who helped drive the Rams to Super Bowl glory against the Cincinnati Bengals three years ago, then used his post-game interview to send a message to those who have been affected by the devastated caused by the wildfires that have swept through Los Angeles over the past week, uprooting hundreds of thousands of people and burning entire neighbourhoods to the ground. Over 20 people are reported to have lost their lives in the fires, with more fatalities expected to be confirmed in the coming days.

Speaking to ESPN’s Lisa Salters, Stafford said, “This is a resilient group, man. I’m so proud of these guys. We knew what we were playing for today. This is for the people of Los Angeles, struggling right now it’s been unbelievable to watch the whole country get behind them. It’s a tough time to be back there.”

Despite being a six-hour, 375-mile drive from their home at SoFi Stadium, the Rams still sold over 52,000 tickets for the victory over the Vikings. The Rams themselves took over 400 people – including players, family, coaches, staff and, in some cases, even pets – to Phoenix, travelling down last Friday.

Several LA based NBA stars and coaches have been affected by the wildfires also, with Lakers coach JJ Redick and Clippers star Kawhi Leonard both having to evacuate their homes in the Pacific Palisades.

The Rams, meanwhile, will now go onto face the Philadelphia Eagles in the Divisional round, this Sunday.

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Joe Baiamonte
Joe spent four years heading up SPORTbible’s editorial team before taking over at UNILAD Sport. Joe has regularly provided WWE coverage for almost a decade, interviewing many of the biggest names in the business and covering several major events in the United States and Europe, including four WrestleManias.
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