Puka Nacua of the Los Angeles Rams
Wide receiver Puka Nacua of the Los Angeles Rams recently lost his temper and threw a punch after being aggressively blocked by Seahawks cornerback Coby Bryant, leading to his ejection from the game. The punch led to an automatic ejection. Despite Nacua’s absence, the Rams won 26-20 against the Seahawks, thanks to a game-winning catch by Demarcus Robinson. The Rams improved to 4-4, while the Seahawks dropped to 4-5.

In this slideshow, we take a closer look at Puka’s career and success leading up to his recent ejection.

Puka Nacua has two older brothers
Puka Nacua has two older brothers who are also involved in football. His brother, Samson Nacua, transferred from the University of Utah to BYU at the same time as Puka and went undrafted, later spending time with the Indianapolis Colts. Another brother, Kai Nacua, plays safety for the Michigan Panthers in the United Football League after previously playing in the NFL.
Nacua played Pop Warner football
Nacua’s father, Lionel Nacua, passed away from complications related to diabetes when Puka was just 11 years old. Nacua played Pop Warner football alongside Dana White III, the son of UFC CEO Dana White, highlighting an early connection to sports and notable figures.
Started his college football journey at the University of Washington
Nacua started his college football journey at the University of Washington. During the shortened 2020 season, Nacua made nine receptions for 151 yards and one touchdown in just three games before entering the NCAA transfer portal. Nacua went on to play for Washington before transferring to Brigham Young University (BYU) for the 2021 season.
He set a career high with 14 receptions
On November 5, 2022, in a game against Boise State, he set a career high with 14 receptions, accumulating 157 receiving yards and two touchdowns, including a game-winning four-yard touchdown catch. In his final college season in 2022, Nacua recorded 48 receptions for 625 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns.
He set rookie records
Nacua was selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He set rookie records for receiving yards and receptions, earning a spot on the Pro Bowl and being named a second-team All-Pro.
Set the NFL rookie single game record
In his second game, Nacua set the NFL rookie single-game record with 15 receptions for 147 yards in a loss to the San Francisco 49ers. His 25 receptions over the first two games also broke Earl Cooper’s 43-year-old record of 19.
Nacua had multiple standout performances
Throughout the season, Nacua had multiple standout performances, including 154 receiving yards in a Week 7 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers and surpassing 1,000 receiving yards with a 70-yard touchdown against the Cleveland Browns in Week 13.
New NFL rookie records
Nacua finished the 2023 season with 105 receptions for 1,486 yards, setting new NFL rookie records for both total receptions and total receiving yards, breaking the previous records held by Jaylen Waddle and Bill Groman, respectively.
First career playoff game
In his first career playoff game during the NFC Wild Card Round, Nacua caught nine passes for 181 yards, including a 50-yard touchdown, setting a new single-game record for receiving yards by a rookie in a playoff game.
Signed an endorsement deal with Gatorade
In 2024, Nacua signed a multi-year footwear and apparel deal with Jordan Brand, joining Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby. On September 4, he also signed an endorsement deal with Gatorade.