LOS ANGELES — Puka Nacua said Wednesday at Rams training camp that he felt “very confident” that he’d be able to not invite more distractions heading into his contract season, as the league continues to investigate claims from a lawsuit filed during the offseason that alleged Nacua bit the plaintiff and made antisemitic comments on New Year’s Eve.
The star wide receiver, as he did when he spoke during OTAs in May, declined to comment on his legal situation, but said that he’s had difficult conversations with family members about his behavior and how he can continue to improve off the field.
“I think continuing some of the things that I was able to establish into my routine, trust in closing my circle of trust and allowing the people that I feel like have the the inside parts of my life to continue to communicate and and trust the people I think that are around me, and I owe a great thank you to my support system, but especially like my family through this time,” Nacua said.
The 25-year-old wideout continued: “There have been things that obviously have happened this offseason that haven’t been the truest reflection of the person I feel like I am and how my mother raised me, and there’s definitely been conversations with her to apologize, but also too for her to so say that she supports me, and also my brothers are, I think, my, my biggest critics as well, so I’m like there were there were some intense conversations, but loving conversations in order to see improvement.”
Filed in March, the lawsuit came more than three months after Nacua appeared on a livestream in December with influencer Adin Ross. Nacua criticized NFL referees before Ross talked him into performing an antisemitic gesture. Nacua, who was fined $25,000 by the NFL for the comments, apologized for the controversial hand-rubbing act, saying he had no knowledge it was antisemitic.
Like most of the 2023 draft class at training camp, which includes the likes of defensive end Kobie Turner, outside linebacker Byron Young, offensive lineman Steve Avila and offensive lineman Warren McClendon, Nacua is entering the final year of his rookie contract with the Rams.
Nacua said despite not having an extension yet, it “never crossed his mind” to attempt to leverage negotiations by not showing up to camp, adding that football is his “safe space” and he wanted to be around his teammates who reached out during the offseason to “be by his side.”
“There have been things outside of my control that I think have impacted the way I’ve been able to kind of focus and enjoy this game of football, but coming out here and seeing that jersey, No. 12, hung up in my locker is something that I don’t take for granted,” said Nacua, who added that he hasn’t had “too many” conversations with the team about his contract situation.
Rams coach Sean McVay said that he’s been proud of the steps Nacua has taken during the offseason, including taking accountability for “some of the things that he can learn from,” and that he hopes that their continued partnership off the field continues “for a really long time.”
“I want to just be able to see him continue to be that positive influence both on the field and off the field, and he’s taken those steps,” McVay said.
Notes
Offensive lineman Alaric Jackson was not present during Day 4 of training camp as he was managing his blood clot condition, McVay said. “It was exclusively just managing, you know, the medicine for the situation he’s dealt with for the last year,” he said. …
McVay clarified that offensive lineman Justin Dedich’s injury from around July 4 was not fireworks related and rather a “true” accident where something fell on his hand. McVay called the injury a “blunt trauma” injury and said that they were “expecting” Dedich to be back in a “little bit of time.” …
Quarterback Stetson Bennett IV continued to take the majority of snaps with the second unit during 11-on-11 drills, earning praise from McVay on Wednesday, although Bennett earned more opportunities with the offense than he did Monday. “(Bennett is) playing the position at a high level,” McVay said. “Ty hasn’t gotten quite in that quite as many reps, but he’s really improved a lot from the spring until now.” …
McVay added that he felt that Simpson “seemed like he did a nice job” getting through different progressions from the defense during his reps.