Los Angeles Rams All-Pro wide receiver Puka Nacua is in rehab, where he was before being accused of assault and battery by a woman who claims he bit her on the shoulder on New Year’s Eve, his attorney said.
“He was in (rehab) for quite some time before these claims were broken… and he’s going to be in rehab for a lot longer,” Levi McCathern said. california post.
McCathern told the newspaper that Nacua’s decision to enter rehab was not a direct response to the lawsuit filed against him by the accuser late last month, but rather an attempt “to improve his overall behavior in all aspects of his life.”
Sexual assault and negligence were also mentioned in a civil lawsuit filed in Los Angeles last March.
Nacua led the NFL in catches last season.
Plaintiff Madison Atiabi and her attorney, Joseph Kar, claim Nacua made emotionally distressing anti-Semitic shouting when they were together on New Year’s Eve.
She claims Nacua bit her when they were in a van together late at night, leaving teeth marks on her shoulder, and that Nacua also bit her friend’s thumb.
McCathern has previously strongly denied that Nacua made anti-Semitic comments. He described the bite as a “horseplay”.
Nacua apologized last December after making a gesture lampooning anti-Semitic tropes during an appearance on an internet live stream.
Nacua was one of the most productive receivers in NFL history during his first three seasons with the Rams, who drafted him in the fifth round out of BYU in 2023. He led the league with 129 catches last season and had 1,715 yards receiving and 10 touchdowns.
Nacua is eligible for a contract extension with the Rams this offseason.
McCathern added that Nacua “will complete the program in sufficient time to be able to participate in all Rams OTAs (organized team activities).”
The Rams can begin offseason workouts April 20, with formal training camps beginning in July ahead of the start of competitive play in September.
