Puka Nacua’s record-breaking debut season will end without certain hardware.
The former BYU receiver-turned-Los Angeles Ram finished second in AP Offensive Rookie of the Year voting, as Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud ran away with the award. The results were announced live at the NFL Honors award show Thursday night in Las Vegas.
Stroud received 48 of 50 possible first place votes. Nacua picked up the leftover two.
A generally unheralded fifth round selection in this past April’s draft, Nacua immediately exploded into a superstar, recording 105 catches for 1,486 yards and six touchdowns. His efforts shattered the all-time rookie reception and yardage records, with the latter having stood for more than 60 years.
Nacua had already earned Second Team All-Pro honors and participated in last week’s Pro Bowl festivities in Orlando.
Thanks in part to Nacua, the Rams became a surprise playoff team, falling to the Detroit Lions in a 24-23 wild card round heartbreaker.
Stroud, the second overall pick in the 2023 draft, threw for 4,108 yards and 23 touchdowns for the Texans, who went from among the league’s worst squads to the AFC south champions.
Despite missing out on another trophy, Nacua still felt some love at the NFL Honors event. Host Keegan-Michael Key took great pleasure in exclaiming “Puka Nacua!” several times during his opening monologue, explaining that the name was “fun to say.”