WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. — Los Angeles Rams star wide receiver Puka Nacua will have to pay for some of his recent comments.
The NFL has fined Nacua $25,000 on Friday for criticizing the league’s officiating over the past week, a league source confirmed to The Athletic.
“The refs are the worst,” Nacua said on a livestream with Adin Ross and N3on on Wednesday. “These guys are lawyers. They want to be on TV, too. You don’t think he’s texting his friends in the group chat like, ‘Yo, you just saw me on “Sunday Night Football?” That wasn’t PI (pass interference), but I called it.’”
Sean McVay told reporters Friday that Nacua will not face additional discipline from the team.
The 24-year-old pass catcher went on to catch 12 passes for a career-high 225 yards and two touchdowns on Thursday night, including a go-ahead 41-yard touchdown in overtime. However, the Rams lost after blowing a 30-14 fourth-quarter lead, with a late pass interference call and a unique reversal that gave the Seahawks a 2-point conversion to tie the score.
Minutes after the game, Nacua took to social media to reiterate his take.
“Can you say I was wrong,” Nacua posted to his X account. “Appreciate you stripes for your contribution. Lol.”
He deleted the message shortly after.
“Just a moment of frustration after a tough, intense game like that,” Nacua said about the message. “Just some of the 2-point plays and some of the opportunities where our defense executed and they made them snap it one more time.”
McVay said he wanted clarity on the 2-point ruling.
“I’ve never quite seen anything quite like what happened on the 2-point conversion where you’re lined up to kick off, and then they say it’s a fumble and a clear and obvious recovery and you tack it on and make it a 30-30 game,” McVay said.
The NFL did not make its officials available for a pool report after the game. Former longtime referee and current NBC rules analyst Terry McAulay provided some perspective on social media.
“When a backward pass is ruled forward and incomplete, replay can reverse if there is a clear recovery in the immediate continuing action,” McAulay posted to X. “The recovering team is awarded the ball at the spot of recovery. Let me make this perfectly clear: whether a whistle is blown or not is completely irrelevant.”
Nacua’s comments on the officiating were among a few moments when he admitted he created a distraction for his team in the short-week build-up to Thursday’s game, which held major NFC West and No. 1 seed implications.
He attempted to get the streamers into Tuesday’s practice against the team’s wishes, and he also worked on a touchdown celebration dance in which he used a rubbing-hands gesture that can be seen as derogatory toward Jewish people.
Nacua posted an apology on Instagram before Thursday’s game, claiming that he did not know about the connection and did not intend to offend anyone.
McVay said he will be having further conversations with Nacua about his various off-field actions from the past week.
“It’s gonna get fixed. Trust me on that,” McVay said. “He’s responsible, he’s respectful and I’m going to continue to help him grow, and I’m with him every step of the way.”
