The Los Angeles Rams have high hopes for the 2026 campaign, and it’s not too hard to see why. After coming up just short in the NFC Championship Game against the eventual Super Bowl-champion Seattle Seahawks, the Rams have loaded up, and on paper at least, this team looks like one of the best groups in the league.
If there is one problem that has popped up, it’s been wide receiver Puka Nacua, who has found himself at the center of several controversies over the past few months. After checking himself into rehab for alcohol and drug abuse earlier this offseason, though, Nacua is back with the team for OTAs, and he opened up on what has been a rather chaotic few months for him.
Puka Nacua Opens Up on Rocky Offseason
Nacua has enjoyed an electric start to his career in the NFL, and that continued in 2025. In 16 games, Nacua racked up 129 receptions for 1,715 yards and 10 touchdowns, making him one of the most productive players at his position in the league. Nacua earned the second Pro Bowl selection of his young career and a spot on the All-Pro First Team as a result of his strong play.
Over the past few months, though, Nacua has found himself at the center of several controversies. Whether it was the incident that saw him perform an antisemitic gesture on a livestream with Adin Ross, or the lawsuit filed against him that alleges he bit a woman during a dinner outing with friends, it’s been a rough couple of months for Nacua.
The incidents above, plus a handful of others, led Nacua to check into rehab a couple of months ago. While it has been encouraging to see Nacua working on himself, there was concern about his status for the upcoming season. The good news is that he is back with Los Angeles, and when reflecting on his offseason, he took a hard look at what he has been through and what he has learned.
“Puka Nacua says this offseason he’s been grateful for the support of his teammates. He says he’s learned that it’s okay to ask for support,” Lindsey Thiry of ESPN shared in a post on X.
Rams Expecting More Big Things from Puka Nacua in 2026
GettyLos Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua is still navigating a legal matter regarding an alleged biting incident.
While the Rams have other weapons on offense, Nacua’s relationship with Matthew Stafford has helped make this team the force it has become in recent years. Los Angeles can win games in the regular season without Nacua, but in order to win a Super Bowl, it is going to need him at his best when the lights are at their brightest.
When he’s been on the field, there’s been nothing that suggests Nacua can’t deliver the goods for the Rams in their biggest games. If he can’t keep himself out of trouble off the field, though, some real problems could arise for L.A. Nacua appears to be on the right track for the time being, but he will continue to have eyes locked on him until the regular season gets underway.
Rams’ Puka Nacua Breaks Silence on Controversy-Filled Offseason