Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua has recently landed in the spotlight for the wrong reasons. During a recent internet livestream, Nacua had publicly criticized NFL referees. He accused the refs of trying to steal the spotlight with questionable calls. Then his comments on the refs after the Week 16 game also quickly drew attention. But when reporters asked Rams head coach Sean McVay about Nacua’s shots at the officials, his response reflected clear frustration.

“I can’t even answer questions about something that I am not aware of,” McVay said in a presser after an overtime 38-37 loss against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 16. “I need to have more information before answering that kind of questions.” 

So, McVay refused to address the issues with Puka Nacua and the NFL officials. But at the time, he also appeared to be unaware that Nacua had posted, and later deleted, another jab at the refs on X after the game.

“Can you say i was wrong,” wrote Puka Nacua in the X post. “Appreciate you stripes for your contributions. Lol.”

Was that the right way to respond after such a painful loss against the Seattle Seahawks? That’s debatable, especially given how well Puka Nacua played. He delivered a spectacular performance on Thursday night with 12 catches for 225 yards and two touchdowns. Still, officiating remained a major storyline throughout the game.

The Rams were penalized eight times for 54 yards on Thursday night. In the fourth quarter of the game, officials even overturned what initially appeared to be an incomplete pass from Seattle’s offense and ruled it a backward throw. That call turned Seattle’s 2-point attempt into a successful fumble recovery. Then, a penalty also wiped out the Rams’ long kickoff return to open overtime.

So, after the game slipped away, Nacua doubled down on his earlier stance on the refs from the livestream, where he bluntly said that “refs are the worst.” 

But that wasn’t the only controversy surrounding the Rams’ WR during the week. Leading up to the game, Nacua went viral while hanging out with popular streamers Adin Ross and N3on. During the livestream, the 24-year-old practiced a touchdown dance that many viewed as offensive to Jewish people.

So, Puka later issued a statement apologizing for the gesture, saying it was “antisemitic in nature and perpetuated harmful stereotypes against Jewish people.”

As such, McVay then did offer more insight when the reporters’ questions turned to Puka Nacua’s locker-room livestream. He explained that Nacua regretted his actions and understood the gravity of the moment.

“He [Nacua] was very apologetic,” McVay told reporters. “I don’t think he understood the totality of some of the things, as I think he issued that apology. And I know this guy’s smart, and for anybody that was offended, terribly sorry about that. He is a young guy, a great kid who’s continuing to learn about just the platform that he has. A level we are gonna continue to put him at and help him learn and grow. But we never want to do things that ever offend anybody, and I know he feels that same way.”

McVay stressed that the Rams never want to offend anyone and that Nacua feels terrible about what happened. Still, it was an alarming week for the Rams receiver on social media. Instead of focusing on his elite play, the conversation shifted to off-field issues. The now-deleted X post aimed at officials was another mistake that the Rams and the league will have to address. The timing made it worse, coming right after a crushing loss.

What went wrong for the Rams in the OT loss to the Seahawks in Week 16?

Los Angeles let a 30–14 lead slip away as the Seahawks completed a stunning 38–37 comeback win on Thursday night. Rams’ quarterback Matthew Stafford was far more effective than he had been against Seattle in Week 11. He completed 29 of 49 passes for 457 yards and three touchdowns, including one in overtime. Still, it wasn’t enough.

Seattle’s fourth-quarter rally, highlighted by one of the strangest 2-point conversion rulings of the season, proved to be the turning point. Seattle’s QB Sam Darnold’s quick screen to running back Zach Charbonnet was tipped at the line of scrimmage and rolled into the end zone. Charbonnet recovered it for a head’s-up play. Then, after a review, officials ruled the pass backward to signal that it was a fumble that was recovered by Seattle. 

That moment may have fueled Puka Nacua’s frustration with the officials. But the bigger issue remains clear. The Rams held a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter and couldn’t close the game out. As a result, they dropped to the No. 5 seed in the NFC, while Seattle moved into the No. 1 spot. Nevertheless, the Rams will now look ahead to a Week 17 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons, hoping the focus returns to football rather than controversy.