Puka Nacua Reflects on What He's Learned From Rehab, Off-Field Issues

As expected, Puka Nacua is taking part in practice with the Rams as OTAs got underway this week.

The Rams wideout has emerged into one of the league’s best players since first taking the field in 2023, but he has been embedded in the wrong kinds of headlines over the past six months. Nacua checked into rehab earlier this offseason. His decision to do so came after he took part in a controversial livestream in which he criticized NFL officiating and agreed to perform an antisemitic touchdown celebration last December—which he apologized for days later—and after he was sued for allegedly biting a woman and making an antisemitic remark on New Year’s Eve.

Nacua’s lawyer, Levi McCathern, said in early April that Nacua entered rehab prior to the civil lawsuit and that “Puka denies these allegations in the strongest possible terms. We will be filing a defamation lawsuit and pursuing all available legal remedies in response to these false and damaging statements.”

Nacua addressed the lawsuit while speaking to reporters on Thursday.

“With it being an ongoing legal battle, out of respect for the other party involved, don’t really have much to speak on,” he said. “As previously stated, a moment for me to learn from the situations I was putting myself in and also having an awareness of how I’m connecting myself in and out of this football field.”

Rams star receiver Puka Nacua on what he learned from his rehab program. He was also asked about his legal battle pic.twitter.com/QGBtmS6SmT
— Gilberto Manzano (@GManzano24) May 28, 2026

Nacua shared that along with going to rehab, he has been in therapy. "I think recognizing from myself of kind of where I was at,” Nacua said, via Adam Grosbard of the O.C. Register. “I work with our team therapist over here. Little did I know that even just writing in a journal ... it's been a great improvement in my life."

“I’m just very grateful for the people around me and in this organization,” Nacua added. “Something I feel like I’ve learned is it’s okay to ask for support. To recognize that the platform I have being a professional football player and trying to use that for the betterment of myself, for those around me and the people that have supported me.

Nacua quickly shot into superstardom when he entered the NFL thanks to a historic rookie season, and he has previously been open about his growth journey since entering the NFL, from changing his diet to learning to handle the emotions he feels before and during games. In 2025, he detailed to The Athletic how he learned to practice breathing techniques in the huddle to help ease his mind.

The 2026 season is slated to be a pivotal year for Nacua, who is currently set to become a free agent next offseason. Sean McVay expressed at the NFL league meetings in March that he’s hopeful Nacua will be a Ram for a really long time, but the Rams have yet to agree to an extension with him. Seahawks receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who is part of the same draft class as Nacua and was the NFL receiving leader in 2025, recently became the highest-paid wideout in the league with a salary of $42.15 million.

It remains unclear when the Rams might re-sign Nacua as he’s dealt with these off-field issues. They still have plenty of time to get a new contract with Nacua done before the NFL season gets underway in September, but for now, Nacua is not too focused on that.

“I haven't really thought about it,” Nacua said, via Grosbard. “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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