BALTIMORE — Star receiver Puka Nacua sustained an ankle sprain in the Rams’ victory over the Baltimore Ravens, and his status for Sunday’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London is uncertain, coach Sean McVay said Monday.
McVay said the Rams were encouraged by the scan results.
“Whether that means he’s able to play like the guy we’re accustomed to seeing on Sunday will be a weekly process for us,” McVay said during a videoconference with reporters, adding, “There is nothing on the scan that looks like it’s going to be long term. The uncertainty of this week is a real thing.”
After the Rams play the Jaguars, they have a week off before playing the New Orleans Saints on Nov. 2 at SoFi Stadium. But McVay said the off week “has nothing to do” with how they will handle Nacua’s situation.
“It’s going to be what’s good for Puka and for our football team,” McVay said, “and I know he’s going to do everything in his power to try to be ready to go for this week, and we have to have a plan for him and if he’s not able to go.”
The Rams are staying in Baltimore and will practice at Oriole Park at Camden Yards before they depart for London on Friday.
Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua and Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey go up for a pass during the first half Sunday. Nacua sustained an ankle sprain on the play.
(Stephanie Scarbrough / Associated Press)
Nacua caught two passes for 28 yards in the Rams’ 17-3 victory over the Ravens before he was injured in the second quarter.
Nacua and Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey leaped for a pass thrown by Matthew Stafford into the end zone, and both came down hard on the turf. Nacua got up, took a few steps and then went to the ground again where was attended to by team trainers. He was assisted to the locker room, evaluated, and then he returned to the sideline. Nacua played in the second half but was not targeted.
Nacua still leads the league with 54 catches. His 616 yards receiving ranks second behind Seattle’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s 696.
Nacua has caught 10 or more passes in three games this season and has amassed more than 100 yards receiving twice, including a 13-catch, 170-yard performance against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 3.
Second-year pro Jordan Whittington started in place of Nacua, and he caught three passes for 23 yards.
Receiver Tutu Atwell did not play against the Ravens because of a hamstring injury but McVay said he “should be good” to play against the Jaguars.
WAILUKU, Hawaii — From the moment the Rams landed in Maui, Puka Nacua embraced the spotlight and provided sunshine vibes.
The star receiver, with several colorful leis draping his shoulders, turned heads upon arrival at a Monday night luau.
The next morning, flag football players excitedly buzzed “It’s Puka!” as he entered War Memorial Stadium for a Rams workout and clinic. That afternoon, autograph seekers lined up 100-deep for an exclusive afternoon Puka-centric event at a team pop-up store.
On Wednesday, several thousands of fans showed up to see the Rams’ public workout, dozens of them wearing Nacua jerseys.
Nacua, who is of Hawaiian, Samoan and Portuguese descent, welcomed the attention with open arms.
Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua signs autographs for fans after minicamp practice in Wailuku, Hawaii, on Tuesday.
(Gary Klein / Los Angeles Times)
“These are people who have similar backgrounds to me,” Nacua said this week. “This is how I was raised — to call everybody Auntie and Uncle, and to be with them and give hugs and kisses, and to eat a lot of food with them.
“This feels like home.”
Nacua, 24, is clearly comfortable in his role.
He is the latest Polynesian NFL star, joining players such as Detroit Lions offensive tackle Penei Sewell and Philadelphia Eagles tackle Jordan Mailata.
Nacua burst onto the NFL scene in 2023 with a record-setting rookie season. His boundless enthusiasm, physical style and daring athletic catches thrilled fans and showed Polynesian athletes that opportunity and success at a so-called skill position was in their grasp.
Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua catches a pass at minicamp in Maui on Tuesday.
Nacua is respectful of the players who paved the way for his opportunity, citing Marcus Mariota, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Polamalu as just a few of the many that led the way.
He aims to show that opportunity exists beyond “the trenches” for aspiring Polynesian athletes.
“It makes it super exciting,” he said, “because the skill positions are coming.”
The influence of Polynesian pro players dates to the 1940s, when offensive lineman Al Lolotai played for Washington. In the 1950s, offensive lineman Charlie Ane twice made the Pro Bowl and won two NFL championships with the Detroit Lions.
Ane returned to Hawaii and tutored a young offensive lineman named Norm Chow. Chow played at Utah and coached as an assistant at Brigham Young, North Carolina State, USC, the NFL’s Tennessee Titans, UCLA and Utah before Hawaii in 2011 made him the first Asian American head coach at a major college program.
Watching Nacua’s ascent has been gratifying for the Hawaiian-born Chow.
“It’s a cool deal,” Chow said. “He’s a tough guy.”
Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua, left, shares a laugh with linebacker Tony Fields II during organized team activities in Woodland Hills on June 3.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Toughness was a hallmark for Polynesian players such as Jesse Sapolu, an interior lineman on four San Francisco 49ers Super Bowl-title teams. Sapolu was twice voted to the Pro Bowl during a career that spanned from 1983 to 1997.
In those days, Sapolu said a dearth of Polynesian players in the NFL led him to study the schedule each year and identify the teams that included Polynesians.
“I’d look five weeks down the line at the roster,” Sapolu said, “and put it in the back of my mind, ‘I can’t wait for that week so I can say hello to that person.’”
Sapolu is the co-founder and chairman of the Hawaii-based Polynesian Football Hall of Fame. He has known Nacua since 2019, when Nacua played in the organization’s annual high school All-Star game. As an ambassador for the 49ers, Sapolu was on the sideline at Levi’s Stadium in 2023 when Nacua broke the NFL record for catches and receiving yards by a rookie.
“This generation is looking at this picture with a broader lens,” Sapolu said. “We still have the top linemen … but now we’ve got the Puka Nacuas coming up that Polynesian kids can say ‘Hey, you know, not only can I be big and strong, I can also be skinny and fast and go out there and do things that Puka is doing.’”
Manti Te’o grew up in Hawaii. In 2009, he was one of the most highly recruited players in the U.S. before going on to star at linebacker for Notre Dame and playing eight NFL seasons.
Te’o, an NFL Network analyst, has a home in Utah. He recalls watching Nacua play at BYU, where he displayed tenacity, physicality and fearlessness that harked to Smith-Schuster, the former USC star who has played eight NFL seasons. Nacua’s humility and the way he represented his family and community also stood out, Te’o said.
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan participates in a rookie minicamp on April 25. The former Servite High School standout was selected eighth overall in the 2025 NFL draft.
(Chris Carlson / Associated Press)
Nacua’s success might have helped pave the way for former Arizona receiver Tetairoa McMillan, selected by the Carolina Panthers with the eighth pick in the 2025 draft.
“They’re starting to believe that they can be more than just the typical O-lineman,” Te’o said. “It’s nice to see that transition and progression.”
Mariota helped lay the groundwork. He grew up in Hawaii, starred at quarterback for Oregon, became the first Polynesian player to win the Heisman Trophy and was selected by the Tennessee Titans with the second pick in the 2015 draft.
Mariota, who will begin his second season with the Washington Commanders, pointed to Jack “The Throwin’ Samoan” Thompson, Jason Gesser, Timmy Chang and Darnell Arceneaux as Samoan and Hawaiian-born quarterbacks who paved the way for him.
“I really value some of these guys that played before me, and what they were able to do, and what they went through to allow me to even have the chance to play quarterback,” Mariota said.
Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua runs a passing route at organized team activities on June 3.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Tua Tagovailoa of the Miami Dolphins and Cleveland Browns rookie Dillon Gabriel followed Mariota to play quarterback in college and the NFL.
Now, Nacua is showing other Polynesian athletes that they don’t have to be “loopholed” to play as a lineman or linebacker, Mariota said.
“Guys like Puka and guys across the league are really taking this Polynesian generation to the next level,” Mariota said. “So, it’s cool to see him, and I’m excited to see what’s next because this is just the beginning.”
Maiava said Mariota and Tagovailoa “set the example and set the tone” for him as a quarterback.
Nacua’s example as a Rams receiver also inspires, he said.
“Just to wake up and hit that standard he sets every single day,” Maiava said. “It’s something to look up to and gives a young kid like me something to strive for, and one day hope we can get there.”
The Rams returned to Hawaii for the first time since 2019, when they played a preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys on Oahu.
In Maui, they opened a pop-up for five days in Wailea that featured merchandise designed by Aaron Kai, an Hawaiian artist who lives in Los Angeles.
Sales were brisk, but the main event was Nacua’s appearance.
Joshua Cabjuan traveled from Oahu to Maui to have Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua sign a replica of Nacua’s high school jersey.
(Gary Klein / Los Angeles Times)
Joshua Cabjuan, 21, of Oahu purchased caps, a hoodie and other items. He said he met Nacua at the Polynesian Bowl a few years ago, so he brought a replica of Nacua’s Orem (Utah) high school jersey to be signed.
“He was really excited, like, ‘Whoa, this is crazy — I haven’t seen this in so long,’” Cabjuan said.
Kristin Domingo of Maui had always been a Lakers and Dodgers fan. Becoming a Rams and Nacua fan, she said, naturally followed.
“We support anyone who comes from the islands or is of Hawaiian descent,” she said after Nacua signed a jersey.
And what does she like about Nacua?
“He’s an excellent wide receiver,” she said. “He kicks ass on the field.”
Kiara Nishimura, left, and Peyton Koerte of Kauai hold up jerseys autographed by Puka Nacua.
(Gary Klein / Los Angeles Times)
Peyton Koerte, 12, and Kiara Nishimura, 14, from Kauai each emerged with a signed Nacua jersey.
Why Nacua?
“We picked him for our draft in fantasy football,” Peyton said.
For decades the NFL’s Pro Bowl was played in Hawaii.
Te’o remembers watching players such as Rams stars Kurt Warner and Isaac Bruce in person.
“To see them play allowed me to dream big,” Te’o said.
Nacua hopes the Rams’ visit to Maui has a similar effect, and that it uplifts an island that was ravaged by the 2023 wildfire that destroyed much of Lahaina.
In remarks at the Rams welcome luau, Maui County Mayor Richard T. Bissen Jr. noted that the team donated more than $260,000 in initial relief and helped spur donations from other pro teams of $450,000 to the American Red Cross.
He also recalled attending a football camp in Maui overseen by former Rams quarterback Roman Gabriel in the 1970s.
“Thank you for what you’re going to do for our youth in the next couple of days, uplifting them and teaching them,” he said, adding that perhaps the next Puka Nacua might be among the attendees.
Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua shakes hands with a youth flag football player during a clinic drill at Rams minicamp on Tuesday.
(Gary Klein / Los Angeles Times)
Nacua was thankful to help play a role in healing.
“To know the support that you want to give to those people who are going through that issue, and to see how it can change and bring the community closer together in that time, I think our team has felt that,” Nacua said.
Nacua once looked up to players such as Mariota and Smith-Schuster. Now, young players are looking up to him.
“The discipline to have the consistency to go out there and perform very well, I feel like those are things that are staples in the Polynesian community,” he said.
Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua runs a drill at the team’s minicamp in Maui on Tuesday.
(Bryce Todd / Los Angeles Rams)
Nacua will return to Los Angeles and begin preparing for training camp and a season of high expectations. The Rams are regarded as potential Super Bowl contenders, with an offense that includes star quarterback Matthew Stafford and new star receiver Davante Adams.
But Nacua will not soon forget his time in Maui.
And he will have plenty of reminders.
“I’m sure I’m going to have 50 leis by the time I go home,” he said.
During the offseason, Cooper Kupp co-founded a coffee company.
And when the veteran Rams receiver returned to the lineup Thursday night after a four-game absence, the recently moribund offense anticipated a welcome jolt.
What it got was an unexpected double shot.
Receiver Puka Nacua also returned to the lineup and the two stars helped the Rams defeat the Minnesota Vikings 30-20 before 72,127 at SoFi Stadium.
Kupp caught a touchdown pass and Nacua amassed 106 yards receiving as the Rams won their second game in a row and improved their record to 3-4.
Rams receiver Puka Nacua (17) catches a pass as Vikings cornerback Stephon Gilmore (2) pursues. Nacua returned from injury to catch seven passes for 106 yards.
(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
Matthew Stafford tossed two touchdown passes to receiver Demarcus Robinson, one to Kupp and one to running back Kyren Williams, and rookie edge rushers Jared Verse and Byron Young sparked the defense as the Rams followed last Sunday’s victory over the Las Vegas Raiders by handing the Vikings (5-2) their second consecutive defeat.
Kupp’s and Nacua’s performances buoyed a team that defeated the Raiders 20-15 and gave players confidence that they could repeat last season’s turnaround from a 3-6 start that ended in the playoffs.
But that probably could not happen without Kupp and Nacua — as well as several other projected starters still on injured reserve.
Kupp, who had been sidelined because of an ankle injury, caught five passes for 51 yards and drew several pass-interference penalties. Nacua, activated Thursday after spending five games on injured reserve because of a knee injury, caught seven passes.
The question now is whether the Rams will ponder trading Kupp with an NFC West game against the Seattle Seahawks coming up next on Nov. 3 — two days before the NFL trade deadline.
The 2021 NFL offensive player of the year spent the early part of the week answering questions about speculation that the Rams might move on because of their poor start and Kupp’s huge contract.
“I’ve got to control what I can control,” he said Tuesday. “And right now that means being the best L.A. Ram I can be and I’m going to continue to do that.”
While Kupp’s return Thursday night was expected, Nacua’s was something of a surprise. The second-year pro had been on injured reserve because of a training-camp knee injury he aggravated in the season-opening defeat to the Detroit Lions.
Nacua did not practice last week, and the Rams opened his 21-day window to return Monday. He was listed as limited after jog-throughs Tuesday and Wednesday.
But about four hours before kickoff, the Rams announced that Nacua had been activated to the roster. He was not on the list of inactive players that was released 90 minutes before the game, but it was still unclear how much, if at all, Nacua might play.
Nacua started and, after dropping a pass on the first play, went on to look like the player who established NFL rookie receiving records in 2023.
The Rams’ Kyren Williams (right) celebrates his touchdown catch against the Vikings with Colby Parkinson. Williams also ran for 97 yards.
(Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)
Stafford, who had entered the game with only three touchdown passes this season, completed 25 of 34 passes for 279 yards and the four touchdowns with an interception.
Kyren Williams rushed for 97 yards in 23 carries.
The score was tied 14-14 at halftime after Stafford tossed touchdown passes to Williams and Kupp, and Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold connected with tight end Josh Oliver and receiver Trent Sherfield Sr. for touchdown pass plays.
Early in the third quarter, Vikings cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. intercepted a Stafford pass. The Vikings appeared on their way to a touchdown when Jefferson made a spectacular sideline catch at the Rams’ four-yard line, but the Rams forced the Vikings to settle for a field goal and a 17-14 lead.
Stafford rebounded from the interception to put the Rams in the lead. Mid-range passes to Tutu Atwell and Nacua set up a 25-yard touchdown pass to Robinson and a 21-17 lead.
After another Vikings field goal, Kupp drew a pass-interference penalty that set up Stafford’s 10-yard touchdown pass to Robinson, extending the lead to eight points.
With less than two minutes left, Young sacked Darnold in the end zone for a safety that gave the Rams their final 10-point margin. Television replays appeared to show that Young had grabbed Darnold’s facemask on the tackle, but the officials did not spot the penalty and the play was not reviewable.
