INGLEWOOD, Calif. – There was an eerie silence to Sofi Stadium on the morning of its grand debut.
While Los Angeles' brand new arena, with all of its grandeur and spectacle, should have been filled with excitement in the air and bustling fans in the stands, it was instead quiet and empty.
Because at this year's season opener, a huge Sunday Night Football matchup against the Dallas Cowboys, fans like Hector Guzman would be cheering from home, rather than in-person.
“I just missed having football in Los Angeles," Guzman said. "It’s been hard.”
Guzman is one half of Los Ramcheros, die-hard Rams fans known for sporting a Sombrero with Rams horns.
While he had been planning to take in the new season from his place at Sofi Stadium, he couldn't mask his excitement at the return of the NFL.
“It’s just a big relief," Guzman said. "It kinda feels like we’re back to normal, just to put our flags out in the house, put all our stuff back out and be ready to cheer.”
With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, no fans will be allowed at Sofi Stadium for the foreseeable future. To get fans involved in some way, the Rams organization opted for fan cutouts — allowing fans to purchase cardboard cutouts of themselves to be placed in the end zones.
In what's called the Game Faces for Good Campaign all proceeds from the purchases will be donated to the Rams Foundation, allowing fans to do good while getting the privilege of saying they were at the first game to kick off at the new stadium.
“We just had to represent," Guzman explained, "let the team know we’re there, make it feel like we’re there.”
And as he watched his beloved team from the comfort of his home, Guzman did feel like he was there.
The game had all the makings of an exciting opener — quarterback Jared Goff threw for 275 yards, running back Malcolm Brown rushed for two touchdowns, a couple of Rams rookies made their debuts, and the defense kept a possible tie game from becoming reality.
“I feel like I was there," Guzman said of the game. "It’s just amazing and feels good.”
Not there in person, but always cheering on the Rams in spirit.