Although both the Raiders and Rams left the Los Angeles market simultaneously prior to the 1995 season, many of these talented players grew up supporting the Rams.
On Sunday they will play in their own backyard. No, not at your local park or high school field, but at SoFi Stadium in Super Bowl LVI.
For David Long Jr., Eric Weddle, Robert Woods, Coleman Shelton, Matthew Orzech and Greg Gaines, the Super Bowl is a stone’s throw from where they were born and raised.
“As a kid, I was more excited to watch USC than any other NFL football because the NFL was so far away from me,” said David Long Jr., whose pick-six once morest the Arizona Cardinals in the The NFC kicked off the Rams run to the Super Bowl. “The first NFL game I went to, I was playing in it.”
Weddle was born in nearby Fontana and grew up in the Inland Empire. He played for the Rams in 2019 but retired following the season. Two years later, just days before the Rams’ playoffs began, Weddle came out of retirement and rejoined the team.
“This just doesn’t happen to guys two years into retirement,” Weddle said.
The first time he or his family saw SoFi Stadium was in the NFC Wild Card Game once morest the Cardinals. Two weeks later, he led the team in tackles in the NFC Championship Game once morest the San Francisco 49ers. Weddle is very excited to play in the Super Bowl and has never won a championship at any level in his lifetime football career.
“I think the people who have been in my corner would have gone to the ends of the earth for me to be in the Super Bowl,” Weddle told NBC LA. “It’s special that it’s in my backyard and everyone can come. Being on the cusp of something that’s been missing in my life is amazing.”
Robert Woods also grew up in Los Angeles and played his college ball at USC. The star wide receiver suffered a knee injury in November and underwent season-ending surgery for a torn ACL. Even though he won’t be playing on the field in the Super Bowl, he will be in the stadium and his impact on the team is immense.
“Robert Woods is the Los Angeles Rams,” quarterback Matthew Stafford said.
“It’s super, super shocking. I was a year old the last time the Super Bowl was in Los Angeles. For me, just growing up in Los Angeles, this is the championship city,” Woods told NBC LA. “I grew up watching Kobe, Shaq and the Lakers dominate, watching the Dodgers dominate and watching the Kings win their championships, I feel like it’s time for us. We have a football team and now is the time to be a part of that.” . The Legacy and History of Los Angeles”.
Coleman Shelton was born in Los Angeles and went to Loyola High School.
Mattew Orzech was born in San Diego and went to high school in Menifee, CA.
“It’s special to all of us, but I think it’s very special to the guys that you mentioned,” Rams coach Sean McVay said.
Defensive lineman Greg Gaines was born in La Habra and attended La Habra High School.
“It’s been great. I have some friends that have been to a lot of games this year. It’s amazing to go to the Super Bowl and have it in Los Angeles. I have a lot of friends and family here and for them to be able to come is amazing,” Gaines told NBC LA. . “I talk to E-Dub [Eric Weddle] all the time, and we are very excited to be here. It’s his first chance to play in the Super Bowl. He is super excited. It’s really great”.
The talented local team from Southern California are ready to play the biggest game of their lives, the Super Bowl.
