The entire nation has its thoughts and prayers out for the city of Los Angeles as a series of wildfires have ravaged the city, taking out homes and lives in the process. The wildfires and those affected by them were at the forefront of everyone's mind during Wild Card Weekend of the 2025 NFL postseason. No game was more affected by it than the Minnesota Vikings vs. Los Angeles Rams game, which was moved from Los Angeles, California, to Glendale, Arizona. This wasn't the first time that an NFL playoff game has been relocated, though, so in this article, we are going to look at both times the home venue was changed for an NFL playoff game.

2025: Minnesota Vikings @ Los Angeles Rams, Wild Card Weekend

Puka Nacua NFL Wild Card win Rams Vikings
Joseph Rondone-Imagn Images

During the 2024-25 season, the Vikings were one of the best teams in the league. They had a shot at the one-seed in the NFC had they won their Week 18 matchup against the Detroit Lions, but a loss there meant they were stuck as a Wild Card team (five seed). The loss displayed some red flags that weren't prevalent the rest of the season, but more importantly, it meant they wouldn't be playing at home in their first-round matchup against the Rams.

The Rams were rewarded home-field advantage because they won the NFC West, but that privilege was taken away from them due to the fires taking place in Los Angeles. So far, at least 24 are dead because of the tragedy, and another 12,000-plus houses and buildings have been destroyed.

Obviously, the city of Los Angeles had more pressing matters than a football game, so the NFL moved the Wild Card matchup to the Arizona Cardinals home in Glendale, Arizona, while Los Angeles focused on public safety.

Losing out on home-field advantage was a big loss for the Rams, and the crowd ended up being a 50/50 split between Rams fans and Vikings fans. The Rams even went as far as to use the away team's locker room because they are used to it. While you could expect a team to lose focus with something so much bigger than football going on, the Rams did the opposite, and they instead seemingly rallied together to represent the city of Los Angeles.

They dominated the Vikings to a 27-9 victory despite being the underdogs. Matthew Stafford threw two touchdown passes, Joshua Karty added two made field goals, and Jared Verse took a scoop and score the distance. It was a statement win that displayed that the Rams, and Los Angeles as a whole, are here to stay. Next up for the Rams is a road game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

1936: Green Bay Packers @ Boston Redskins, NFL Championship Game

Don Hutson Curly Lambeau
Green Bay Press Gazette-Imagn Images

Long before the Rams vs. Vikings game was moved, a game between the Green Bay Packers and Boston Redskins was moved, and there were long-term implications because of it. The Green Bay Packers ran the NFL in the '30s, and their 10-1 record in 1936 illustrated that.

The 1936 season was only the fourth where there was a championship game, though, as before that, the team with the best league record was named the champions. The Packers NFL Championship Game opponent was the Redskins, who were playing in Boston at that time. The Redskins had home-field advantage, meaning the game was slated to be played at Fenway Park.

Instead, Redskins owner, George Preston Marshall, decided to move the game to Polo Grounds in New York City, New York, because the team had a lack of fan support in Boston. The Packers, who had three previous championships due to league record, ended up winning the game 21-6.

The highlight of the game was a 46-yard pass from Arnie Herber to Don Hutson, two of the early pioneers of American football. Huston is arguably one of the most underrated NFL players ever, as he revolutionized the receiver position, and he is one of the best players in Packers history.

The move to Polo Grounds resulted in Marshall moving the Redskins to his hometown of Washington D.C. the following season, and the team would be known as the Washington Redskins from 1937 to 2019; when they changed their name to the Commanders.