Rams WR Puka Nacua learning to seek help after off-field incidents

LOS ANGELES - After six months defined by off-field headlines, Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua said Thursday he is learning to ask for help after starting therapy.

Nacua, who turns 25 on Friday, has made headlines for the wrong reasons dating to the end of the regular season. In December, he appeared in a live stream in which he criticized NFL officiating and did a dance with antisemitic connotations. He apologized and claimed ignorance about the latter offense, but then shared more criticism of officiating on social media following the Rams' loss to the Seahawks the next night.

Then during the offseason, a lawsuit was filed against Nacua alleging that he bit the plaintiff and made antisemitic comments during a night out on New Year's Eve. Nacua declined to comment on the lawsuit on Thursday, citing the ongoing legal matter, other than to say, "A moment for me to learn from kind of some of the situations I was putting myself in."

Speaking with reporters for the first time this offseason, Nacua said he has started working on himself and how to exercise better judgment away from the football field, starting with therapy, first in an out-patient facility that has continued with the Rams' team therapist.

"Something that I think recognizing from myself of kind of where I was at," Nacua said of the decision to seek help. "But definitely had some good people in my inner circle who encouraged me to go out there and find ways to improve myself."

Nacua said he has found journaling to be a healthy outlet for him, both to remind himself of his accomplishments but also to express any frustration or challenges he is experiencing.

"Learning to trust those around me and to find ways to work out through some of the things that I find difficult and stresses in my life," Nacua said. "Some of the things I feel like I've learned is it's okay to ask for support. And then to recognize the platform that I have being a professional football player."

Head coach Sean McVay, who has publicly expressed support for Nacua as he has gone about this process, said Thursday, "I've always appreciated his ability to kind of let me in and it's really cool to be able to just see the kind of the direction that he's on and we'll have our arm around him and continue to support him throughout."

All of these incidents have played out with the backdrop of Nacua's contract situation. The All-Pro receiver is entering the final year of his rookie deal, making him extension eligible. Given his on-field production his first three years in the league, he could receive a contract that exceeds the four-year, $168.6 million extension Seattle's Jaxon Smith-Njigba signed earlier this offseason.

But the Rams have slow-played any extension talks, publicly acknowledging that both on-field performance and off-field behavior play into any possible contract.

"I know that my job is to come up here and to be with the guys and go out there and compete every single day and that's been kind of my mindset," Nacua said when asked about his contract. "If I can continue to improve as a person, I know that the coaches and the people around me are helping me to improve as a football player. So those are the things that I can control and then hopefully allow those other things to handle themselves."

Asked if he is willing to play out the 2026 season without an extension, Nacua did not answer directly.

"I haven't really thought about it," he said. "I enjoy playing football. It's been the biggest dream come true. To be able to be out here and play for this organization specifically has been awesome. I couldn't imagine myself playing anywhere else. … I'll let all those things handle themselves."

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