Amid LA wildfires, NFL has a backup plan for Rams-Vikings Monday Night
The NFL is monitoring the Palisades fires ahead of Monday night’s Rams-Vikings Wild Card game
Emergency personnel in California continue to battle the raging fires in the Palisades area around Los Angeles. Multiple fires are burning in Los Angeles County, prompting evacuation orders and causing damage to more than 1,000 structures.
On Thursday evening, the NFL confirmed that a contingency plan is in place for Monday night’s Wild Card game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Minnesota Vikings, scheduled to take place at SoFi Stadium. According to a statement released by the league, should circumstances warrant the game would be moved to State Farm Stadium in Arizona, home of the Arizona Cardinals.
“We continue to prepare to play the Vikings-Rams game as scheduled Monday night at SoFi Stadium. As with all games, there are contingency plans in the event a change in location is needed. In this instance, the game would be played on Monday night at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ, if necessary,” read the statement in part.
Both the Rams and the Los Angeles Chargers, who begin their playoff journey on the road Saturday against the Houston Texans, are monitoring the situation. The Rams are scheduled to resume practice on Thursday.
With the Chargers playing on Saturday, they altered their practice schedule on Wednesday to limit time outdoors. The team had offensive and defensive units practice separately to limit their time on the field.
The NFL has moved games due to wildfires before. During the 2003 season the Cedar Fire prompted a State of Emergency in California, and a game between the San Diego Chargers and the Miami Dolphins was moved to Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona.