The St. Louis Rams are rumored to be heading back to California, with reports from Fox Sports that the relocation could be a done deal.
Reporter Doug Vaughn relayed a report from Fox analyst Terry Bradshaw that claimed the team is definitely moving back to its former home in Los Angeles.
Terry Bradshaw “Rams are 100 percent gone.” He says all the Fox guys are hearing they’re moving. Ouch.
— Doug Vaughn (@DVaughn_CBS920) September 24, 2015
Bradshaw could have a good authority on the matter. Fellow analyst Howie Long’s son, Chris Long, is a defensive end on the St. Louis Rams and would likely be privy to any insider information on the team moving.
The rumors come as no surprise to those following the St. Louis Rams in recent months. Owner Stan Kroenke has put together a $1.8 billion stadium proposal in the Los Angeles suburb of Inglewood, one that would presumably house the Rams.
This is not the first rumor to indicate that the St. Louis Rams will be moving back to Los Angeles. Fansided reported back in August that Kroenke has no backup plan to keep the team in Missouri, making the team a virtual “lock” to relocate.
If the rumors regarding the St. Louis Rams are true, they could have some competition in returning to Los Angeles. The Oakland Raiders and San Diego Chargers are also reportedly seeking a move, and ESPN reported in August that both teams are willing to change divisions if it makes a move easier.
There is a chance that only one of those teams gets a chance to move to Los Angeles, ProFootballTalk ‘s Mike Florio reported.
“Per a league source with knowledge of the situation, the NFL may ultimately move only one team to Los Angeles. And that would happen not as a short-term thing, but as an indefinite move that could result in a second team never going to Los Angeles.
“The shift comes from the league’s intense desire to get it right in L.A. Although it would be a lot easier to build a stadium with private money if 20 games per year are played there, instantly assigning two teams to a market that for 20 years has had none may not be the best way to reconnect with Los Angeles.”
The rumors regarding the St. Louis Rams relocating to Los Angeles could be heating up, Florio predicted. The NFL has put together a committee to determine which teams should move, and the Raiders and Chargers may be ready to force a court battle if the Rams try to move.
[Image via Getty Images/Michael B. Thomas]