With less than two weeks until the start of the 2026 NFL season, there isn’t any clarity yet on whether star Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua will face any suspension time amid a tumultuous offseason that includes an ongoing legal situation.
Notably, Nacua managed to avoid being placed on the commissioner’s exempt list Sunday, according to The Ringer’s Tom Pelissero. Players who are given that designation are placed on paid administrative leave while the NFL reviews serious legal matters or personal conduct policy violations.
Three other NFL players — Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs, Denver Broncos outside linebacker Jonathan Cooper and Seattle Seahawks cornerback Terrion Arnold — were placed on the commissioner’s exempt list.
Nacua’s case remains under review by the NFL, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Sunday. On Aug. 11, Schefter reported Nacua could be suspended for the Rams’ season opener against the San Francisco 49ers on Sept. 10 in Australia.
“Right now, there are some things going on behind closed doors that we don’t have full access to, that are going to have a significant impact on the season, depending on how these conversations go,” Schefter said at the time.
Nacua, the former BYU and Orem High standout, entered a “holistic care facility” this offseason to receive professional help after a series of controversies involving the 25-year-old toward the tail end of the 2025 season.
In March, a Los Angeles woman filed a civil lawsuit alleging that Nacua “forcibly” bit her shoulder and made an “unprovoked antisemitic statement” during a New Year’s Eve outing, according to the court document obtained by ESPN.
Two weeks ago, a Los Angeles County judge officially set the civil trial date for Nacua’s case for March 27, 2028, along with a final status conference scheduled for March 14 that same year.
In early June, when Nacua spoke to reporters for the first time since entering rehab, he addressed seeking professional help for the off-field character issues.
“Something that I feel like I’ve learned is, it’s OK to ask for support,” Nacua said, per the Los Angeles Times. “And then to recognize the platform that I have in being a professional football player, and trying to use that for the betterment of myself and for those around me.”
Nacua missed a good chunk of training camp in August as he dealt with soreness in his psoas, a deep core muscle and primary hip flexor. He left a joint practice with the Dallas Cowboys on Aug. 11 due to tightness and discomfort.
Nacua returned to practice Sunday, according to numerous reports.
