Puka Nacua, the Los Angeles Rams’ star, has made headlines by checking into rehab amid an ongoing lawsuit.

As allegations regarding a drunken incident during New Year’s Eve surfaced, Shannon Sharpe issued a warning to him.

In Thursday’s episode of his show Nightcap, Sharpe, a former tight end, was visibly upset over the recent developments. He urged Nacua to be careful, as his list of controversies has grown significantly. 

“But you got to be careful. You really have to be careful in situations like this. And it's just it's tough, man,” he said. 

Joe Johnson, a seven-time NBA All-Star, agreed with Sharpe and said that there are more distractions and professional athletes need to be careful with their actions.

“It's harder nowadays, too, fellas, than it was back. Yeah. You got more distractions,” Johnson opined. “Everybody got a camera. There you go. You think you talking on the low? You think, man, please.”

As per reports, a woman in Los Angeles has sued the Rams’ wide receiver for insensitive comments and biting her on her shoulder. His actions hurt Madison Atiabi on many fronts, and she was left with bite marks. 

Since then, his attorney Levi McCathern has announced that Nacua has admitted himself to a rehab facility until the Rams’ OTA kickoff in a few weeks. 

“He 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 stated.

Nackua is eligible for a contract extension and is an integral part of the Rams. The 24-year-old thrived last season and recorded 129 receptions, the highest in the league.

He scored 10 passing touchdowns for 1,715 yards and one rushing touchdown for 105 yards. Nacua even played in the First-team All-Pro. 

When asked about this incident, Rams head coach Sean McVay showed nothing but love and support to Nacua.

“Man, you guys know, I trust this kid’s heart,” McVay told reporters at the NFL’s annual league meeting this week.

“Love him, put your arm around him, want to continue to help him grow, and really get all the appropriate facts before I kind of rush to judgment on that particular situation.”

McVay may not want to pass any rash judgment, but this is not the first time Nacua has been found in precarious situations.

Nacua Has Made Similar Insensitive Comments Before

In a late 2025 live stream with Adin Ross, Nacua made a gesture that was deeply disrespectful to the Jewish community.

Nacua apologized, stating he was unaware of the hurtful nature of the gesture. 

His other controversy related to live streaming came to light in December 2025.

Nacua violated locker-room privacy rules by live-streaming despite his teammates asking him to stop. This happened in December after their victory against the Arizona Cardinals. 

The NFL fined Nacua $25,000 for mocking game officials following a 37-38 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. He once again stirred up a controversy on a live stream with Adin Ross. 

With a list of multiple off-field controversies, Nacua needed an intervention. As the Rams are gearing up to return to the field for drills, hopes are that Nacua returns with clarity.

What are your thoughts about the whole Puka Nacua situation? Let us know in the comments!

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Written by

Akanksha Biradar

Edited by

Kalp Thaker