Scandalized NFL star Puka Nacua reveals alcohol dependency and fears about becoming a dad as he bares all in emotional Netflix interview
Controversial NFL star Puka Nacua has laid bare his struggles with alcohol after reflecting on the ‘darkest times’ of his life in a tell-all interview with Netflix.
The Rams star, who will take to the field for their season opener against the 49ers on Thursday night, has endured a tumultuous offseason littered with legal problems.
The 25-year-old has been accused of biting a woman on the shoulder and making an ‘unprovoked’ antisemitic statement during a drunken New Year’s Eve encounter.
In the wake of the scandals, the wide receiver, who could still face a potential league suspension, checked into a rehab facility in an attempt to tackle his demons head on.
Speaking openly about his decision to do so, as well as what he learned from the experience, he told Netflix’s Elle Duncan: ‘I learned that I am very avoidant of conflict and avoidant of the things that were causing me stress.’
What was that stress? He explained: ‘The change in lifestyle that came up to me, becoming a public figure… the stress of performing at a high level.
Rams star Puka Nacua has laid bare his struggles with alcohol addiction during an interview
The wide receiver endured a tumultuous offseason littered with legal problems
‘And then I recently became a father – my son is 10 months old.’
The Rams star continued by explaining that he was ‘never willing to ask for help’ despite the fresh challenge of co-parenting his son driving him to dark places.
He added: ‘I would isolate myself to feel that the weight of all the issues was stuck on my shoulders, and not being willing to ask for help.
‘I was never one to share my fears and my worries. I was always finding different ways to escape from that tension and that stress.
‘Alcohol was definitely a thing for me. Just, kind of, drowning myself so that the issues and the stress that I was feeling never had the opportunity to be addressed.
‘When I entered the rehabilitation center, I was able to have open and honest conversations.’
Having gone through the rehabilitation process, the Rams star believes he’s now on the right path to becoming the man who his son can be ‘proud of’.
‘These are the darkest times that I’ve had in my life. And as my son gets older, I can share with him the things I’ve learned from the mistakes I’ve made.
Nacua admits he underwent an important period of self-reflection after checking into rehab
A woman, who attached this photo of the bite mark allegedly left by Nacua in court documents, accused the NFL receiver of biting her during a drunken New Year’s Eve encounter
Nacua’s ex Hallie Aiono recently spoke about the challenges she faced in their relationship
‘I want to be able to go to any environment that he might be a part of and have him say: ‘This is my dad’.’
Recently, Nacua’s ex-girlfriend, Hallie Aiono, claimed that she experienced ‘extreme betrayal, abuse and complete neglect’ after deciding to seek professional help.
Nacua and Aiono started dating in 2021 when she was a student at Brigham Young University, where he was a standout football star after transferring from Washington.
She was by his side cheering him on as he burst onto the scene in the NFL as a rookie in 2023, breaking the rookie receiving yards record after being a fifth-round draft pick.
But the couple broke up while she was expecting their first child, becoming involved in a messy paternity situation after she filed a Los Angeles County Superior Court petition in June 2025 to confirm Nacua as the father of their unborn child, request full physical custody, and seek joint legal custody with visitation rights.
She later shared the birth of their son, Kingston, in December 2025 with a picture of Nacua holding her hand then the pair holding their son.
The two-time Pro Bowl selection is heading into his fourth season with the Rams in the final year of his rookie contract. He led the NFL with 129 receptions last season and ranked second with 1,715 yards receiving.
