Nacua Opens Up About Alcohol Battle, Rehab — SkimNews
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- Puka Nacua told Netflix's Elle Duncan that alcohol 'was definitely a thing' as he coped with off-the-field stresses including rapid stardom, performing at a high level, and co-parenting his young son.
- Nacua checked into rehab in March, saying he used alcohol to 'drown' issues that 'never had the opportunity to be addressed.'
- Nacua went from a fifth-round BYU pick in 2023 to the NFL's leading wideout just two years later, and the public-figure pressure compounded those struggles, he said.
- Nacua still has an unresolved legal cloud: in March, a still-pending lawsuit alleged he made an 'unprovoked antisemitic statement' toward a woman and bit her on the shoulder, and he could face NFL discipline later this season.
- In December, Nacua apologized for performing a gesture on an internet livestream that was 'antisemitic in nature and perpetuated harmful stereotypes against Jewish people.'
- Nacua, 25, played in the Rams' Thursday night opener against the 49ers in Melbourne, Australia, and said he's now focused on becoming 'a person that I think my son will be proud of.'
Why it matters: Nacua's admission lands while he's still facing potential NFL discipline and an unresolved civil lawsuit tied to antisemitic allegations — meaning the league and his team must weigh his public recovery narrative against pending accountability questions before any ruling is made this season.
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