LA Rams Will Honor Firefighters by Holding Draft HQ at LAFD Air Base

The Rams will also renovate the LAFD Air Operations rec room and will host first responders on draft weekend.

Smoke from a wildfire rises over the Los Angeles Rams practice facility in the Woodland Hills section of Los Angeles on Jan. 9, 2025. Greg Beacham/AP Photo

The Los Angeles Rams will honor area firefighters for battling the January blazes by setting up their 2025 draft headquarters at the fire department’s Air Operations base.

The three wildfires that ripped L.A. County beginning Jan. 7 forced the Rams to move their home playoff game in the Wild Card round from SoFi Stadium to Arizona.

“Drafting from LAFD Air Operations is a powerful reminder of what it means to represent Los Angeles,” Rams team president Kevin Demoff said in a statement on the Rams’ website.

“Since the wildfires devastated our region in January, we have looked to bring LA Together to help with the recovery efforts, raise the spirits of those impacted, and shine a light on our first responders. We are humbled to partner with LAFD during one of the NFL’s biggest moments to express gratitude for those who risk their lives daily to protect our city.”

The Rams are partnering with real estate app Zillow to renovate a room within LAFD Air Operations base in Van Nuys. The room will serve as the team’s headquarters for the 2025 NFL Draft, which will take place from April 24-26. A nearby hangar will serve as a space for coaches, scouts and team personnel who will be working onsite on draft weekend. The team will host first responders from around the area on the morning of April 25 for a special “chalk talk” session with head coach Sean McVay, Demoff, and other team executives.

LAFD Air Operations will remain fully operational during this time.

The Rams and Zillow are giving back further by renovating the base’s rec room with recliners provided by Bob’s Discount Furniture to “[create] a more comfortable space that feels like home for firefighters to rest between callouts, during their 24-hour shifts.”

The Rams are also selling special LAFD-themed merchandise with the team’s monogram on their website and the official team store at SoFi Stadium; 100 percent of the profits will be split between the LAFD Foundation and the American Red Cross to benefit local firefighters and those affected by the wildfires.

“We are incredibly grateful to the Los Angeles Rams for their unwavering support of the Los Angeles City Fire Department and our wildfire-impacted communities,” Interim Fire Chief of the Los Angeles Fire Department Ronnie Villanueva said.

“Hosting the NFL Draft at LAFD Air Operations highlights the critical role our Air Operations plays in protecting Los Angeles, especially during wildfire season. The Rams’ generosity—renovating our station and recognizing our firefighters—demonstrates a deep commitment to the city we all serve. We look forward to standing alongside the Rams in this meaningful event.”

The Palisades and Eaton fires were contained on Jan. 30. The two fires burned 37,000 acres, destroyed 16,000 structures, and forced evacuations across the suburbs of Los Angeles. The Hughes fire began on Jan. 22 and was contained by Jan. 30 as well.

The Rams were scheduled to play the Minnesota Vikings in a Wild Card game on Jan. 13. That game was moved to State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, due to the fires. The Rams won 27-9.