Los Angeles Rams star Puka Nacua opened up about his personal growth during his first press conference since leaving rehab and being accused of biting a woman.
Nacua, 25, called his rehab stint “a moment for me to learn from some of the situations I was putting myself in and then also having just an awareness of how I’m conducting myself in and out of this football field” during the presser in Los Angeles on Thursday, May 28.
Amid Nacua’s stay in rehab, a woman filed a lawsuit against him for allegedly biting her and making an “unprovoked antisemitic statement” on New Year’s Eve. The woman also filed a restraining order which has since been withdrawn.
Nacua declined to address the lawsuit, referring to it as “an ongoing legal battle” during his press conference.
“I’ve been really grateful for the support from the organization, especially my teammates,” he said. “People reaching out at different times of the offseason, just checking in. … Some of the things I feel like I’ve learned is, it’s OK to ask for support and then to recognize the platform that I have and being a professional football player and trying to use that for the betterment of myself and for those around me.”
He added, “There’s been a lot of good things in the midst of some of these things that have been challenging for me, but it’s been a great improvement in my life.”
Nacua also revealed he has been working with the Rams’ therapist and attending weekly meetings to improve himself.
“Little did I know that even just writing in a journal, as simple as that, and finding ways to express some of the things I have near and dear to my heart,” he said. “It’s been a great improvement in my life.”
Rams head coach Sean McVay expressed his support for Nacua as well, acknowledging his “ability to kind of let me in.”
“It’s really cool to be able to just see the direction that he’s on, and we’ll have our arm around him and continue to support him throughout,” he said.
The Rams drafted Nacua in 2023 out of Brigham Young University and he has made the Pro Bowl twice in his first three seasons. However, the 2025-26 offseason has been rocky for him. In addition to the lawsuit he faces and his time in rehab, he also came under fire in December 2025 for making an antisemitic gesture during a livestream. Nacua later apologized with a statement via Instagram.
“At the time, I had no idea this act was antisemitic in nature and perpetuated harmful stereotypes against Jewish people,” he said. “I deeply apologize to anyone who was offended by my actions as I do not stand for any form of racism, bigotry or hate of another group of people.”
