Los Angeles Rams star Puka Nacua has apologized for performing an antisemitic touchdown celebration on Adin Ross’ livestream on Tuesday.
During the livestream, Ross guided the wide receiver through an antisemitic touchdown celebration, which ended with Nacua looking into the camera and rubbing his hands together — a stereotypical gesture indicating greed that Ross’ fans call his “iconic Jewish dance.”
Ross then asked Nacua to perform the celebration during the Rams’ game against the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday night, and Nacua promised he would.
The NFL star has been facing backlash since his appearance on Ross’ livestream, including from a prominent elected official.
“The Los Angeles Jewish community is on edge after the Bondi Beach massacre,” Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., said Thursday on X.
“And what does this a–hole @AsapPuka do? He promises an antisemitic touchdown dance for his Thursday night game,” Swalwell wrote. “He should apologize or be dropped.”
On Thursday afternoon, Nacua addressed the incident, apologizing and saying he was unaware of the antisemitic nature of the dance.
“When I appeared the other day on a social media livestream, it was suggested to me to perform a specific movement as part of my next touchdown celebration,” Nacua wrote in a statement posted to 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,” Nacua added.
Ross, a major streamer on the Kick platform, is no stranger to controversy.
In 2023, the Jewish internet personality was permanently banned from Twitch, another livestream platform, for using homophobic slurs and displaying racist and anti-Jewish messages from his live chat.
He has also shown pornographic images during his livestreams and promoted gambling to an audience that includes young boys.
With fewer rules and restrictions, Kick has become home to many controversial streamers, including Ross.
In 2024, Ross became a player in the U.S. presidential election when he gifted then candidate Donald Trump with a Tesla Cybertruck and a Rolex watch during a livestream interview.
