Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua revealed in a Netflix interview that he entered a holistic rehabilitation center after struggling with alcohol use during the darkest period of his life. Speaking ahead of the Rams’ season opener, Nacua cited intense personal and professional pressures following his meteoric NFL rise.
Puka Nacua Opens Up on Rehabilitation Stint and Alcohol Struggles
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua addressed his difficult offseason in a candid interview with Elle Duncan of Netflix Sports, which aired ahead of the Rams’ regular-season opener against the San Francisco 49ers in Melbourne, Australia. The 25-year-old wideout acknowledged that he checked into a private, holistic rehabilitation facility following months of mounting personal and professional stress.
Reflecting on the challenges that led to his treatment, Nacua explained that he had relied on unhealthy coping mechanisms to deal with sudden celebrity and high-stakes athletic expectations. Nacua told Netflix that his rapid rise from an unheralded draft pick to a primary offensive weapon brought pressures he was unequipped to handle alone.
“Alcohol was definitely a thing for me. Just, kind of, drowning myself so that the issues and the stress that I was feeling never had the opportunity to be addressed.”
Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams wide receiver, via Netflix
The wide receiver credited his time at the rehabilitation center with giving him the space to confront long-standing behavioral patterns. Nacua noted that therapy forced him to recognize that he was fundamentally avoidant of conflict, despite playing a notably physical brand of football on Sundays.
Navigating Instant Stardom, Fatherhood, and Personal Isolation
The stressors that triggered Nacua’s struggles accumulated rapidly over a short window. Selected out of BYU in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL draft at No. 177 overall, Nacua set rookie records almost immediately. He hauled in 15 passes in a single game during his debut campaign and finished his rookie year with 1,486 receiving yards, setting a new league benchmark for first-year players. By his second season, he led the entire NFL with 129 receptions.
Yet the sudden shift in lifestyle brought intense scrutiny. Alongside the demands of maintaining All-Pro production, Nacua became a father to a son now 10 months old. Navigating co-parenting responsibilities alongside public fame caused him to withdraw rather than seek support.
“I would kind of isolate myself to feel, like, the weight of all the issues and things that I have was stuck on my shoulders and not being willing to ask for help. I was never one to share my fears, my worries. I was always finding different ways to escape, I guess, from that tension or that stress.”
Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams wide receiver, via Netflix
That isolation coincided with turbulent off-field headlines. In December 2025, just before a critical game against the Seattle Seahawks, Nacua attempted to sneak streamers Adin Ross and N3on into the Rams’ facility, later appearing on their live stream to criticize NFL referees and perform a touchdown dance carrying antisemitic undertones. Nacua subsequently issued an apology, stating he was unaware of the gesture’s meaning when he learned it on the stream. Weeks later, an alleged drunken New Year’s Eve incident involving an accusation of biting resulted in a pending civil lawsuit.
Rehab Program, Legal Status, and Contract Financials
When Nacua entered the rehabilitation center, his attorney, Levi McCathern, released a statement emphasizing that the player was taking responsibility for his personal well-being. According to recent reporting from professional football analysts, Nacua has also begun fulfilling a diversion program in lieu of prosecution regarding his pending legal matters. That process could prompt the league to evaluate potential discipline under the NFL Personal Conduct Policy.
The off-field distractions have also impacted the timeline for Nacua’s financial future with the franchise. Entering the final year of his rookie contract, Nacua is set to earn $5.767 million. While peers such as Seattle Seahawks receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba have secured extensions averaging over $42 million per year, Nacua’s path to becoming one of the highest-paid wide receivers in league history remains tied to his ability to manage off-field risks and maintain his stellar on-field production.
Looking Ahead to the 2026 Season and Parenthood
He now journals daily and focuses heavily on personal accountability, driven by his relationship with his young son.
“These are the darkest times that I’ve had in my life, and as my son gets older, I can share with him some of the things I learned from the mistakes that I’ve made.”
Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams wide receiver, via Netflix
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