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Wide receiver Puka Nacua is ready to put the past behind him. The Los Angeles Rams star was in attendance for offseason team activities this week and didn't shy away from questions about his off-field activities.
Nacua was accused in March of biting a woman and making an anti-Semitic comment at a New Year's Eve party. He later checked into rehab to work on himself before his accuser eventually withdrew her restraining order request.
He called the incident "a moment for me to learn from some of the situations I was putting myself in and then also having just an awareness of how I'm conducting myself in and out of this football field." He also added that he's "really grateful for the support from the organization, especially my teammates."
"People reaching out at different times of the offseason, just checking in. … Some of the things I feel like I've learned is it's OK to ask for support and then to recognize the platform that I have and being a professional football player and trying to use that for the betterment of myself and for those around me," Nacua added.
The Rams star was coming off his best season in the league in only his third year. Nacua caught an NFL-high 129 receptions for a career-best 1,715 yards and 10 touchdowns. He is eligible for a contract extension this offseason, but said he hasn't "really thought about it" and is more focused on getting ready for the 2026 season.
"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. "If I can continue to improve as a person, I know that the coaches and the people around me are helping me improve as a football player. So those are the things that I can control and then hopefully allow those other things to handle themselves."
Despite the Rams reportedly prioritizing a new deal for Nacua, new reports indicate an extension could take longer. Whether or not that's because of the off-field incidents remains to be seen, but the Rams have waited until training camp to sign new deals for contract-eligible players, like with Kyren Williams in 2025.
Rams head coach Sean McVay, who has supported Nacua throughout the offseason, added that he's "appreciated" the receiver during this time.
"It's really cool to be able to just see the direction that he's on," McVay said, "and we'll have our arm around him and continue to support him throughout."
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Puka Nacua addresses offseason incidents at Rams OTAs
Continue reading...
Nacua was accused in March of biting a woman and making an anti-Semitic comment at a New Year's Eve party. He later checked into rehab to work on himself before his accuser eventually withdrew her restraining order request.
He called the incident "a moment for me to learn from some of the situations I was putting myself in and then also having just an awareness of how I'm conducting myself in and out of this football field." He also added that he's "really grateful for the support from the organization, especially my teammates."
"People reaching out at different times of the offseason, just checking in. … Some of the things I feel like I've learned is it's OK to ask for support and then to recognize the platform that I have and being a professional football player and trying to use that for the betterment of myself and for those around me," Nacua added.
The Rams star was coming off his best season in the league in only his third year. Nacua caught an NFL-high 129 receptions for a career-best 1,715 yards and 10 touchdowns. He is eligible for a contract extension this offseason, but said he hasn't "really thought about it" and is more focused on getting ready for the 2026 season.
"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. "If I can continue to improve as a person, I know that the coaches and the people around me are helping me improve as a football player. So those are the things that I can control and then hopefully allow those other things to handle themselves."
Despite the Rams reportedly prioritizing a new deal for Nacua, new reports indicate an extension could take longer. Whether or not that's because of the off-field incidents remains to be seen, but the Rams have waited until training camp to sign new deals for contract-eligible players, like with Kyren Williams in 2025.
Rams head coach Sean McVay, who has supported Nacua throughout the offseason, added that he's "appreciated" the receiver during this time.
"It's really cool to be able to just see the direction that he's on," McVay said, "and we'll have our arm around him and continue to support him throughout."
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Puka Nacua addresses offseason incidents at Rams OTAs
Continue reading...
