Following the tragic Los Angeles fires, this Wild Card matchup between the Los Angeles Rams and Minnesota Vikings got relocated to State Farm Stadium. With so many efforts to assist in the aid of these tragic fires, former Rams offensive lineman and current NFL analyst Andrew Whitworth had a heartfelt message to the fans in attendance, per ESPN on X.

“For the past week, our Los Angeles region has been ravaged by catastrophic wildfires. Over 150,000 people have been evacuated. Our friends and our neighbors have lost homes, and entire communities have been devastated. And there's still more work to do.

“The courage and bravery of our firefighters and our first responders proved real-life heroes live among us. But, I believe in the people of Los Angeles. We are strong. We will not be defined by this devastation. We will rebuild LA, hand-in-hand, together. For as long as it takes and whatever it takes, we will build it together. Los Angeles, I love you. We love you. And we are with you.”

After spending his first 11 seasons in the NFL with the Cincinnati Bengals, Whitworth joined the Rams in 2017, finishing his career with five years in Los Angeles. So, while many remember him for his decade-plus with the Bengals, Whitworth found his “second home” with the Rams.

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Then, following his retirement from the NFL, Whitworth joined the sports media world, remaining within the Los Angeles community.

So, while these wildfires have caused devastation and catastrophe for those in the affected areas, including the evacuation of head coach Sean McVay's family, the NFL is doing its best to continue lifting the Los Angeles community during these trying times.

Earlier in the week, the Cardinals even sent planes to Los Angeles to help transport Rams players and pets to the relocated Wild Card matchup.

And while both teams are enemies within the white lines, Whitworth's pregame speech was a nice reminder that there are things bigger than football affecting the world currently and that there are true heroes among us each and every day.