Ahead of Thursday’s season opener, Rams Pro-Bowl wide receiver Puka Nacua just laid out everything to Netflix’s Elle Duncan about battling alcohol issues, calling those struggles the “darkest times” of his life. This isn’t just some off-season fluff, either; Nacua spent time in a holistic rehabilitation center this off-season, and his future in the NFL, including a massive payday, is riding on him proving these off-field issues are behind him.
The Pressure Cooker That Almost Broke Puka
Nacua, who’s just 25 years old and in his fourth NFL season, opened up about how a “change in lifestyle” that came with becoming an NFL star, along with the “stress of performing at a high level,” fueled his dependency on alcohol. Becoming a public figure isn’t easy, but he also revealed a more personal layer: he recently became a father, with his son now 10 months old, and navigating that co-parenting relationship added to the immense pressure. He admitted to isolating himself, feeling “the weight of all the issues and things that I have was stuck on my shoulders and not being willing to ask for help.” This “avoidant” nature led him to stray from conflict and turn to alcohol, saying he was “always finding different ways to escape… alcohol was definitely a thing for me.” It was like “drowning myself, so that the issues and the stress that I was feeling never had the opportunity to be addressed.” These internal struggles unfortunately spilled over, landing him in the headlines for everything from an antisemitic gesture to an allegation he bit a woman on New Year’s Eve, plus a video in February showing him clearly intoxicated.
Turning The Page: Rehab, Journaling, And A Son’s Pride
It’s clear Nacua needed a reset, and he got it. That time in a holistic rehabilitation center during the offseason was crucial. He credits rehab with helping him confront those underlying struggles, and now he’s turned to journaling as a key way to deal with his emotions. What’s driving him now? Nacua said he wants to become someone his son can be proud of. The Rams didn’t offer him a long-term deal before he entered the final year of his rookie contract, which sent a pretty clear message. He’s set to become a free agent in March, though the franchise tag could keep him off the open market. Make no mistake, Nacua is absolutely in line for a massive contract, but only if he can prove he’s put these off-field incidents behind him for good. The stakes are huge for his career, and every game, every moment, is a chance to show he’s serious about this new chapter.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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