Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua checked into a rehabilitation facility last month, his attorney announced in a statement on Wednesday.
According to attorney Levi McCathern, Nacua entered rehab prior to a woman seeking a temporary restraining order and filing a civil lawsuit against him.
“Puka takes responsibility for his well-being and increasing his performance during the offseason,” McCathern wrote in a statement published by NFL Network. “So, in early March … Puka voluntarily entered a holistic care facility to focus on his personal growth.”
Nacua is an All-Pro who caught a league-high 129 passes for 1,715 yards and 10 touchdowns across 16 games in Los Angeles last fall, but he also has made headlines for less positive reasons.
In December, Nacua performed a simulated touchdown celebration on a livestream that contained an antisemitic undertone, later apologizing for the act, saying he “had no idea this act was antisemitic in nature.”
Details of the lawsuit, involving alleged activity from New Year’s Eve, emerged last week, with the 24-year-old being accused of levying antisemitic statements at a dinner party before biting two women in separate incidents.
McCathern denied Nacua making any remark and categorized the bites as “horseplay.”
On Wednesday, McCathern spoke with several outlets to paint his client in a more sympathetic light. In one instance, he explained that Nacua is in rehab in an attempt to “improve his overall behavior in every aspect of his life.
In the statement provided to NFL Network, McCathern wrote in part, “He is committed to using this time constructively so that he can return in the best possible position — both personally and professionally — to continue contributing to his team and the game he loves.”
The statement added that Nacua would complete the program before the beginning of the Rams organized team activities, which are typically in late May and early June.
In the lawsuit filed against Nacua, he is cited as committing gender violence, assault and battery, and negligence.
Nacua has earned two Pro Bowl selections in his three seasons while totaling 313 grabs for 4,191 yards and 19 touchdowns. He was drafted by the Rams in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft out of BYU, making him eligible for a contract extension.
Members of the Rams organization have danced around their intentions in regards to pursing an extension publicly, instead speaking to the importance of Nacua growing on and off the field.
“We are hopeful that he’s a Ram for a really long time, but he understands what the responsibility is, not exclusive to just the production on the field,” coach Sean McVay said earlier this offseason.
