Former BYU star and current Los Angeles Rams receiver Puka Nacua has checked in to rehab, his attorney told The California Post on Wednesday.
According to Nacua’s attorney, Levi McCathern, the two-time Pro Bowler is seeking to “improve his overall behavior in every aspect of his life” during his time in rehab.
This development comes a week after news surfaced of a civil lawsuit filed against Nacua, alleging he made an “unprovoked antisemitic statement” in the presence of a Jewish woman and bit two women on New Year’s Eve, as previously reported by the Deseret News.
McCathern previously denied the allegations against Nacua and shared their intention to file a defamation lawsuit. Nacua’s accuser has since withdrawn her application for a temporary restraining order but is moving forward with the lawsuit, according to TMZ.
McCathern shared Wednesday that Nacua had been in rehab for “a substantial period of time before any of these allegations broke ... and he’s scheduled to be there for a while longer,” according to The California Post.
“(Nacua) 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. He will complete the program in plenty of time to be involved in all of the Rams OTAs,“ McCathern said in a statement provided to NFL Network.
“Puka is also deeply grateful for the support he has received from his family, friends, Coach (Sean) McVay, and his teammates. It is unfortunate that a trivial lawsuit has drawn attention to Puka during a time when he is focused on becoming a better overall person. I am really excited to see what the future holds for this gifted young man.”
Nacua has caught 313 passes for 4,191 yards and 19 touchdowns since being drafted out of BYU in 2023, emerging as one of the NFL’s top receivers across the past three seasons.
The 24-year-old Orem High graduate is entering the final year of his rookie contract with the Rams, and while his production merits a potentially record-breaking contract extension, his recent offseason drama has cast a cloud over such negotiations.
“The play on the field is amazing, and then with what the play has dictated and determined, there’s a responsibility in terms of representing all things, not exclusive to just that,” Rams coach Sean McVay said of Nacua at the NFL’s annual league meeting this week, according to ESPN.
“He knows that. Those are the expectations, and we’re hopeful that that’ll be something that this will be an opportunity for him to learn and grow. And 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.”