Rams honor LA firefighters by hosting NFL Draft at LAFD Air Ops base
LOS ANGELES (KYMA, KECY) - No luxury drafthouse this year for the Rams.
Instead of setting up shop in a beachside mansion or Hollywood Hills estate, the Los Angeles Rams are bringing their NFL Draft headquarters to a very different kind of home base: the Los Angeles Fire Department's Air Operations facility in Van Nuys.
It's a move that breaks a five-year tradition of holding the draft in high-end locations. But this year, the team says the priority is honoring first responders who've been on the front lines of devastating wildfires that scorched parts of Altadena and the Palisades earlier this year.
The LAFD Air Ops facility will stay fully operational during the three-day draft, which begins Thursday, April 24.
Before Day 2 of the draft kicks off, the team plans to host 150 local firefighters for a behind-the-scenes "chalk talk" with Head Coach Sean McVay, General Manager Les Snead, and other team leaders. offering a rare look into the Rams' decision-making process and draft strategy.
The Rams have long shown support for first responders. In 2018, after the Thousand Oaks shooting and a destructive fire season, the team honored firefighters and law enforcement at a primetime Monday Night Football game.
Earlier this year, when wildfires forced the NFL to relocate a playoff game from L.A. to Arizona, Rams staff wore LAFD-themed gear on the sidelines.
In total, the team says it's donated nearly $2 million toward fire-relief efforts. This includes a $1 million gift from the Kroenke Family Foundation, directed to the LAFD Foundation to support equipment, station repairs, and firefighter wellness.
While the Rams will be busy making picks to shape their future, they say this year's draft setup is more about giving back, and showing up for the people who always do.
