The NFL is still deciding whether Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua will face discipline for off-field incidents from the past year, with the league's investigation still unresolved just weeks before the Rams open their season in Australia, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Speaking on The Adam Schefter Podcast, Schefter said Nacua's case is among several the NFL is actively reviewing before the regular season begins. "Cases that I believe are now being reviewed include that of the Rams wide receiver, Puka Nacua, who could potentially face discipline for some of the offseason headlines that accompanied him and some of those incidents last year," Schefter said, according to Niners Wire. He added that it is "within the realm of options" that Nacua does not play when the Rams face the San Francisco 49ers in Week 1.
The incidents at the center of the review stem from allegations that surfaced in March, when Nacua was accused of biting a woman and making an antisemitic comment during a New Year's Eve party, according to Niners Wire. No criminal charges have been filed against Nacua in connection with the accusation. The 25-year-old receiver also entered rehab during the offseason before reporting to training camp, Yahoo Sports reported.
Because no charges have been filed, any NFL discipline would come strictly through the league's personal conduct policy rather than a criminal proceeding. That policy calls for a baseline six-game suspension without pay for violations involving assault, battery, domestic violence or similar conduct, with the league able to adjust the length based on mitigating or aggravating circumstances, Niners Wire noted, citing the policy's language. Schefter said he expects more clarity on Nacua's situation, along with several other pending cases, by the start of the regular season or sooner.
Rams coach Sean McVay said this week that he has not been told by the league what, if anything, will happen to Nacua, and that the team has no control over the investigation's pace. "I think it really is all predicated on how the NFL goes about their independent investigation," McVay said, according to Yahoo Sports. "Once those things get legally handled, then that offers the opportunity for the league to be able to step in. We've tried to have good communication with those guys to get an understanding. But it is on their timeline, not ours. So it's hard for me to say the answer to that one."
Yahoo Sports noted that even if the underlying legal matter is ultimately treated as a misdemeanor or resolved without charges, the NFL can still investigate and discipline Nacua independently for violating the personal conduct policy, and the league may not view the allegations as minor given their nature.
Nacua is not the only Rams player facing uncertainty. Offensive lineman Alaric Jackson was arrested following an alleged domestic violence incident and will not face felony charges, but it marks his second arrest of this kind, according to Yahoo Sports. Jackson was suspended two games at the start of the 2024 season for a prior incident, and the NFL could treat him as a repeat offender this time. If both Nacua and Jackson were to be suspended, the Rams would open the season without two key starters against a divisional rival, in Australia, with the added complication of international travel.
The stakes are significant for Los Angeles. Nacua led the NFL with 129 receptions in the 2025 season, catching those passes on 166 targets for 1,715 yards and 10 touchdowns across 16 games, while also adding 105 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown, according to NFL Trade Rumors. He has been quarterback Matthew Stafford's most-targeted receiver in each of his three NFL seasons and has drawn 432 targets since entering the league in 2023, the fourth-most of any pass-catcher in the NFL over that span, per Niners Wire. Nacua, a fifth-round pick out of BYU in 2023, is playing on a four-year, $4.1 million rookie contract that runs through 2026 and paid him a base salary of $1.03 million in 2025.
A Nacua absence would be especially costly against San Francisco specifically. He has caught 41 passes for 434 yards and three touchdowns against the 49ers in five career games, making him one of the more productive players in that rivalry, according to Niners Wire. Without him, the Rams' receiving corps would lean on Davante Adams, Jordan Whittington, Konata Mumpfied, Xavier Smith and rookie CJ Daniels.
Nacua's case is one of several Schefter flagged as still under NFL review. Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs, Denver Broncos outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper and free agent wide receiver Tyreek Hill are all facing situations the league is still investigating, with discipline remaining a possibility for each, Schefter said. He also addressed Atlanta Falcons outside linebacker James Pearce Jr., saying there is no question a suspension is coming for him, only how long it will last. Schefter estimated Pearce's ban could range from six games to a full season, with the Falcons reportedly preparing for a lengthy absence.
For now, the Rams are left waiting on the league's timeline. The season opener against the 49ers is scheduled for Thursday, September 10, in Australia, leaving only a few weeks of preseason for the NFL to complete its review and for Los Angeles to learn whether its top receiver will be available.
