The Los Angeles Chargers paid tribute to the LA Fire Department on Saturday afternoon ahead of their playoff showdown with the Houston Texans.
Their tribute comes as wildfires continue to burn through Los Angeles, destroying properties, forcing residents to evacuate, and putting the city on hold.
On the road in Houston for the Wild Card game, the Chargers honored first responders with their warmup gear.
Players and staff wore warmup shirts and caps with LAFD printed in their team colors. The team announced the gear hours before the playoffs.
‘Puttin on for the city,’ they wrote on social media with a blue heart emoji.
Commentator Ian Eagle acknowledged the tribute on top of CBS’ broadcast and extended his thoughts to the victims of the calamity.
The Los Angeles Chargers paid tribute to firefighters ahead of their game against Houston
The team wore warmup caps and shirts with LAFD printed in their team colors on Saturday
Wildfires continue to burn through Los Angeles County, forcing residents to evacuate
A moment of silence was held before kickoff for members of the Los Angeles community
While the Chargers got to play on Saturday with their road game, the LA Rams’ playoff showdown with the Minnesota Vikings has been moved from SoFi Stadium in Inglewood to State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
Furthermore, the Lakers and Clippers both postponed games scheduled for their respective homes in LA on Saturday.
Earlier this week, eerie pictures were released from their practice facility as the team hit the training field amid the fires.
Coach Jim Harbaugh had the Chargers’ offensive and defensive units practice separately to limit their time on the field. The air quality at the team’s complex was 185 on Wednesday. Anything above 150 is considered unhealthy.
‘Abundant prayers to all those that have been affected by this tragedy,’ Harbaugh told the media Thursday while wearing an LAFD baseball hat. ‘Also, I’ve just been inspired greatly by the first responder, the firefighters and the residents that have pulled together and had each other’s back. That’s been tremendously inspiring.
‘So, even though we’ve been on-mission,’ he continued, ‘abundant prayers and thoughts to all that are in this fight. We see neighbors on top of houses helping fellow neighbors, it’s truly inspiring.’
The Chargers enter Saturday’s game following an 11-6 season that saw them finish second in the AFC West. On the other hand, the Texans finish atop the AFC South with a 10-7 record.
