Puka Nacua | Biography, Age, Stats, Contract & Career
Puka Nacua is an American football wide receiver for the Los Angeles Rams. He became a national name after setting NFL rookie records in 2023, then led the league in receptions in 2025. Fans also follow his family story, contract outlook, injury updates, and the legal and public controversies that have surrounded him.
Who Is Puka Nacua?
Puka Nacua is a 25-year-old NFL wide receiver known for reliable hands, strong route work, and high production with the Rams. He wears No. 12 and played college football at Washington and Brigham Young University, commonly known as BYU.
| Age | 25 years old as of 2026 |
| Date of birth | May 29, 2001 |
| Full name | Makea Nacua |
| Birthplace | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Heritage | Samoan and Polynesian roots |
| Height | 6 feet 2 inches |
| Position | Wide receiver |
| NFL team | Los Angeles Rams |
| Jersey number | 12 |
| College | Washington and BYU |
| Draft | 2023, fifth round, 177th overall |
How Old Is Puka Nacua, and What Is His Real Name?
Nacua was born Makea Nacua on May 29, 2001, making him 25 years old as of 2026. His birthday had already passed by the article’s publication date, so 25 is his correct current age.
Puka is a childhood nickname given to him by his Samoan grandmother. He has explained that it began when he was a baby and stuck as he grew up. Most people in football know him by that nickname, while his mother and Rams teammates have sometimes used Makea.
Where Is Puka Nacua From, and What Is His Ethnicity and Nationality?
Nacua was born in Las Vegas, Nevada, and grew up in Orem, Utah. He is American by nationality and has Samoan heritage through his mother, Penina, who has described herself as Samoan. Some biographical profiles also describe Hawaiian and Portuguese ancestry, while his family’s Samoan roots are especially well documented.
Who Are Puka Nacua’s Parents and Brothers?
Nacua is the son of Penina Nacua and the late Lionel Nacua. His father died from complications related to diabetes in 2012, when Puka was 10, shortly before his 11th birthday. Lionel had a major influence on his sons’ interest in football and encouraged them to study the game as well as play it.
After Lionel’s death, Penina raised six children and became one of the strongest influences in Puka’s life. Several of his brothers also played football, including Kai, Isaiah, and Samson. Samson joined Puka at BYU after both brothers had attended other colleges.
Nacua has often credited his mother’s effort and his family’s support for helping him handle setbacks and build his career.
Does Puka Nacua Have a Wife or Girlfriend?
Nacua has not been publicly reported as married, and there is no verified divorce to report. He previously dated Hallie Aiono, and the former couple share a son named Kingston, who was born in October 2025. News coverage in 2026 described Aiono as his ex-girlfriend and the mother of his child.
Nacua’s social life has also drawn attention because of public appearances and online exchanges with influencers and celebrities. A playful social media exchange with actress Sydney Sweeney led to dating speculation, but it did not establish that they were a couple.
As of the article’s publication date, no reliable report confirmed a new relationship. Rumors about a wife or divorce should not be treated as fact.
Where Did Puka Nacua Play College Football?
Nacua played at the University of Washington in 2019 and 2020 before transferring to BYU for the 2021 and 2022 seasons. He moved closer to his family and joined his brother Samson at BYU while his grandmother was dealing with ovarian cancer.
At BYU, he finished with 91 receptions for 1,430 yards and 11 receiving touchdowns across 21 games. He also ran the ball 39 times for 357 yards and five rushing touchdowns. BYU listed Family Life as his major.
His college career showed that he could contribute as both a receiver and a runner, although injuries limited his availability during his final season.
How Was Puka Nacua Drafted, and What Was His 40 Yard Dash Time?
The Los Angeles Rams selected Nacua with the 177th overall pick in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He was the 42nd selection of that round, despite putting up strong production at BYU. Draft coverage commonly lists his 40-yard dash time at about 4.57 seconds.
Nacua quickly proved that draft position was a poor measure of his professional value. He won targets through timing, body control, reliable hands, and a willingness to compete for the ball in traffic. His early success also made him a standout example of a late-round pick becoming a central part of an NFL offense.
What Are Puka Nacua’s Career Stats and Achievements?
Through Week 7 of the 2026 season, Nacua had 358 career receptions for 4,676 receiving yards and 21 receiving touchdowns in the regular season. His best full season so far was 2025, when he led the NFL with 129 catches and recorded 1,715 yards and 10 receiving touchdowns.
His rookie season in 2023 was historic. He caught 105 passes for 1,486 yards and six touchdowns, setting NFL rookie records for receptions and receiving yards in a season. He finished second in voting for AP Offensive Rookie of the Year, earned a Pro Bowl selection, and was named Second Team All Pro.
His main career milestones include:
- Set NFL rookie records with 105 catches and 1,486 receiving yards in 2023.
- Earned Pro Bowl selections after the 2023 and 2025 seasons.
- Led the league with 129 receptions in 2025 and added 1,715 receiving yards.
- Made First Team All Pro in 2025 and finished third in Offensive Player of the Year voting.
His 2024 season was shorter because of injury, but he still recorded 79 catches for 990 yards and three touchdowns in 11 games. His 2026 figures are still in progress.
Through five appearances in the first seven weeks, he had 45 receptions for 485 yards and two receiving touchdowns, plus 21 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown. Those numbers make him a regular focus for fantasy football managers, although his weekly value also depends on health and matchups.
What Is Puka Nacua’s Contract Status?
As of October 27, 2026, Nacua is in the final year of the four-year rookie contract he signed with the Rams in June 2023. The original contract was reported at about $4.08 million, and public contract databases list him as heading toward unrestricted free agency in 2027 if he does not sign a new deal.
No contract extension had been publicly announced by the publication date. Given his production, a new agreement could be a major one, but reported projections are not the same as a signed contract. The exact value and timing of any future deal remain unconfirmed.
Is Puka Nacua Injured, and Is He Playing?
Nacua most recently played on October 25, 2026, when the Rams beat the Las Vegas Raiders 35 to 21. He played through a calf injury and caught eight passes for 68 yards and a touchdown, while adding two rushes for 10 yards.
His 2026 season has included several injury concerns. He dealt with psoas soreness during training camp, then missed Weeks 2 and 3 with a hip issue that Rams coach Sean McVay later described as groin soreness.
He left practice early with a calf problem before Week 7 and was listed as questionable, but he was active on game day. No public report had confirmed a separate formal rehab program as of October 27. His status for later games depends on updated practice and injury reports.
What Happened During Puka Nacua’s Adin Ross Livestream Controversy?
In December 2025, Nacua apologized after performing a gesture during a livestream with internet personalities Adin Ross and N3on that was widely criticized as antisemitic. Ross suggested a touchdown celebration involving rubbing the hands together, a movement used to reinforce a harmful stereotype about Jewish people.
Nacua said he did not know the gesture’s meaning when he copied it and apologized to people who were offended.
The livestream also included comments from Nacua criticizing NFL officials. The league fined him $25,000 for those officiating comments, not for the gesture itself. The incident raised questions about judgment and the influence of livestream personalities, but Nacua’s public apology and the fine should be described separately from the later legal matter.
What Is the Status of Puka Nacua’s Lawsuit and Suspension Review?
As of October 27, 2026, no NFL suspension had been announced, but the league’s personal conduct review remained active in reporting published on October 21. Nacua played in Week 7, and there was no public timetable for a league decision. Because the NFL has not announced an outcome, reliable suspension odds cannot be calculated.
A civil lawsuit filed in March 2026 by Madison Atiabi alleges that Nacua made an antisemitic remark and bit her on the shoulder during a New Year’s Eve outing. The lawsuit also alleges that he bit her friend. Nacua’s attorney denied that he made antisemitic statements and characterized the alleged biting as horseplay.
The attorney later questioned the authenticity of a color photograph of the alleged bite marks. These are allegations, not findings established at trial. In August 2026, a judge set the civil trial for March 27, 2028.
The civil lawsuit is separate from the December 2025 livestream controversy. Separately, the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office said the possible misdemeanor matter was on track for pre-filing diversion, a process that can avoid prosecution if its requirements are completed. Reporting on September 10 said no criminal charges had been filed at that point.
The NFL’s review was still active in late October, so the eventual outcome remained unresolved as of publication.
Is Puka Nacua Mormon?
Reliable public information does not confirm Nacua’s personal religious affiliation. He attended BYU, a university affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but that fact alone does not prove whether he is Mormon. His faith should not be stated as a confirmed biographical fact without a clear public source.
Conclusion
Puka Nacua’s rise from a fifth-round draft pick to a record-setting receiver has been built on production, family support, and consistent playmaking. At 25 years old as of 2026, he has already set NFL rookie records, led the league in receptions, and earned major honors.
His contract, injury status, and unresolved legal matters remain important developments to follow, but each should be reported with clear dates and a distinction between confirmed facts and allegations.
