Puka Nacua checks into rehab facility, ‘takes responsibility for his well-being’

The Los Angeles Rams have been urging star wide receiver Puka Nacua to grow as a person after a series of controversies off the field over the past year, and he is now taking steps to do that.

Nacua has checked into a private facility, his attorney, Levi McCathern, confirmed to The Athletic on Wednesday, “to focus on his health, personal growth, and overall development.”

Nacua checked into the facility on his own before a lawsuit was filed against him that accuses him of biting two women at a group dinner on New Year’s Eve, according to McCathern. He will remain there until he completes the program ahead of the Rams’ organized training activities (OTAs) that start in a few weeks.

“Puka takes responsibility for his well-being and increasing his performance during the offseason,” McCathern said in a statement. “… He is committed to using this time constructively so that he can return in the best possible position — both personally and professionally — to continue contributing to his team and the game he loves. He will complete the program in plenty of time to be involved in all of the Rams OTAs. Puka is also deeply grateful for the support he has received from his family, friends, coach (Sean) McVay and his teammates.”

Nacua’s decision to seek help comes after months of multiple off-field controversies, including the ongoing lawsuit.

In December, just days before the Rams played the biggest game of their regular season against the eventual Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, Nacua unsuccessfully attempted to sneak streamers Adin Ross and N3on into the team facility without permission. He then appeared on their live stream after practice, where he accused NFL referees of inventing calls to appear on TV. He also worked on a touchdown dance that carried antisemitic undertones. Nacua released a statement apologizing for the touchdown dance and claimed he did not know it was antisemitic at the time he was learning it on the live stream.

Nacua then had his best performance of the season with 12 catches for 225 yards and two touchdowns, but the Rams lost 38-37 to the Seahawks in overtime. Moments after the game, Nacua doubled down on his referee criticism in a tweet, for which he was later fined $25,000.

Just two weeks after the live stream incident, Nacua was involved in another situation. He was accused by a woman of becoming intoxicated on New Year’s Eve and shouting “F— all the Jews,” and then biting two different women. One of the women, Madison Atiabi, is Jewish and is now suing Nacua in a California civil court.

“Without provocation, consent, or warning, Defendant dropped his head into the lap and crotch area of Plaintiff’s female companion and bit her companion’s thumb with such force that her companion screamed in acute pain,” the lawsuit said.

Then, the lawsuit claims, Nacua turned his attention to Atiabi and allegedly bit her on the left shoulder with enough force to leave behind teeth marks. Atiabi alleges that the incident took place without her consent and without provocation.

Atiabi filed a temporary restraining order against Nacua in early March, but the order was denied by the court. However, the lawsuit remains active.

McCathern has denied allegations that Nacua made antisemitic remarks that night.

“It is unfortunate that a trivial lawsuit has drawn attention to Puka during a time when he is focused on becoming a better overall person,” McCathern said in the statement. “I am really excited to see what the future holds for this gifted young man.”

Nacua is one of the top players in the NFL, fresh off a season in which he led the league with 129 catches and 107.2 receiving yards per game. Nacua finished with 1,715 receiving yards and 10 receiving touchdowns and was named first-team All-Pro by The Associated Press. It was his second season with at least 1,400 yards, and at age 24, he is primed to break into a wide receiver market that continues to see major extensions to players of his rare ability. Nacua finished second in the league in receiving yards last season behind Seahawks star Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who just signed a four-year extension for $168.6 million.

But as Nacua enters the fourth and final year of his rookie contract, his contract status remains a work in progress.

“I trust this kid’s heart. I’ll continue to put my arm around him and help this kid grow,” McVay said on Monday at the NFL’s annual meetings in Phoenix. “… Let’s have an understanding of what the expectations are and who you can become and who you want to become.”

McVay, general manager Les Snead and president Kevin Demoff all emphasized that Nacua will need to earn this next extension by bringing his off-field growth in line with his on-field performance.

“The play on the field is amazing, and with what the play on the field has dictated and determined, there’s a responsibility in terms of representing all things,” McVay said. “He knows that.”

Added Snead, “At the end of the day, he’s a young man becoming. This is a part of the developmental process. The impact is continuing to evolve, not only as a person but also as a football player. You need to be on your P’s and Q’s in both categories to earn that type of contract.”

Nacua is one of a handful of top Rams players entering contract years with whom the team will have extension talks. In addition to Nacua, the group includes Pro Bowl linebacker Byron Young, guards Steve Avila and Kevin Dotson, and defensive end Kobie Turner. They also just handed out a major extension to All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie at four years and $124 million following a blockbuster trade to acquire him from the Kansas City Chiefs.

Nacua remains integral to the Rams’ short- and long-term plans after they came up just yards short of a return to the Super Bowl, when they lost 31-27 to the Seahawks in the NFC Championship Game.

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