Puka Nacua offered his clearest explanation yet for why he sought help during a turbulent offseason, revealing that alcohol became one of the ways he tried to cope with the pressure that accompanied his rapid rise to NFL stardom.
The Los Angeles Rams star opened up during a Netflix feature aired before Thursday night’s season opener against the San Francisco 49ers in Melbourne, Australia.
“I was always finding different ways to escape,” Nacua said, according to a clip shared by Arye Pulli on X. “Alcohol was definitely a thing for me.”
“I was always finding different ways to escape… alcohol was definitely a thing for me.”
Now, the #Rams WR says he wants to become someone his son can be proud of.
(via @NetflixSports)
The admission provides additional context for Nacua’s decision to voluntarily enter a rehabilitation facility earlier this year. At the time, his representatives spoke broadly about personal growth and improving his well-being without publicly identifying alcohol as an issue.
Nacua’s comments come at an important point in his career. He’s entering his fourth NFL season after setting himself up among the league’s premier receivers, while the Rams continue to evaluate a potential long-term extension for their former fifth-round steal.
Nacua Previously Opened Up About Seeking Support
Nacua went to a private rehabilitation facility in March, before his attorney confirmed the move publicly in early April.
Attorney Levi McCathern said at the time that Nacua had voluntarily sought treatment to focus on personal growth and would complete the program before Los Angeles’ offseason activities.
Nacua later returned to the Rams and began shedding more light on what he had learned.
During organized team activities in May, he called his stay in rehabilitation a “short stint” and said working with a team therapist, attending weekly meetings and adding structure to his routine had helped him. He also said he had learned that “it’s OK to ask for support,” via NFL.com.
That message continued into training camp.
Nacua said in July that football had become a “safe place” for him while acknowledging outside circumstances had affected his ability to focus and enjoy the sport. He also credited teammates for standing beside him through the offseason, per the Rams’ official website.
Thursday’s admission went a step further. Instead of speaking broadly about his growth, Nacua identified alcohol as one of the escapes he had turned toward while adjusting to fame.
Nacua’s Rise Has Been Nearly Unprecedented
The speed of Nacua’s ascent helps put the pressure he described into perspective.
The Rams selected him No. 177 overall in the 2023 NFL draft. Three seasons later, he was voted the No. 7 player in the league by his peers on the NFL Top 100.
Nacua followed his record-setting rookie campaign with his finest season yet in 2025, leading the NFL with 129 catches while producing 1,715 receiving yards and 10 receiving touchdowns. He earned unanimous first-team All-Pro honors, receiving all 50 first-place votes, according to the Rams.
That production has made Nacua one of Matthew Stafford’s most valuable weapons alongside Davante Adams and positioned him for a potentially enormous payday.
The football questions surrounding Nacua have rarely centered on talent. His offseason placed more attention on how he handles everything surrounding the game.
Now, hours before beginning another season on an international stage, Nacua has surfaced a candid window into what that rise looked like away from Sundays — and the ways he has tried to alter his approach.
Puka Nacua Makes Alcohol ‘Escape’ Revelation Ahead of Rams-49ers Opener