Puka Nacua Critiques NFL Officiating During Twitch Stream
During a recent Twitch livestream, Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua didn’t hold back his thoughts on NFL referees, sharing his frustrations with millions of viewers. The stream, featuring popular gamers Adin Ross and N3on, took place on December 16, and quickly turned into a platform for Nacua’s candid remarks about officiating in the league.
“The refs are the worst. These guys are lawyers, they wanna be on TV too bro,” Nacua stated, expressing his disbelief at the referees’ decisions. “You don’t think he is texting his friends in their group chat like, ‘Yo, you guys saw me do that on Sunday Night Football? That wasn’t [pass interference], but I called it.’ These guys are normal human beings too, bruh.”
This outburst came after Ross prompted him with a question about whether he believes referees sometimes “be bulls***ing.” As of Wednesday afternoon, the NFL had yet to announce any disciplinary measures against Nacua, although the league has a history of penalizing players for similar criticisms. Last year, for instance, Houston Texans players Will Anderson Jr. and Joe Mixon were each fined $25,000 for their comments regarding officiating during a playoff game.
In a similar vein, Chiefs coach Andy Reid faced a $100,000 fine while quarterback Patrick Mahomes was docked $50,000 for their remarks following a loss to the Buffalo Bills the previous year. Nacua’s comments could have escalated further had Ross and N3on been allowed entry to the Rams’ practice facility, which they were not, according to reports.
“I thought my team communicated. I guess there was no communication,” Nacua remarked during the stream. “Especially then, when Coach found out, he didn’t f*** with that. Just because of the short week. Let me handle business on Thursday, then we should be good.”
The Rams are set to face the Seattle Seahawks on December 18 in a pivotal matchup for their playoff aspirations, both teams currently boasting identical 11-3 records.
Nacua’s stream didn’t stop at officiating critiques; he also shared his thoughts on which team he considers overrated in the NFL. “Somebody in the AFC. The AFC isn’t even that great,” he said bluntly, naming the Jacksonville Jaguars as his pick.
This incident marks the third time in just weeks that Nacua has stirred controversy through livestreaming. Earlier in December, he made headlines by disparaging the Indianapolis Colts’ Sauce Gardner during a stream with N3on. “Ain’t nobody trying to be in Indianapolis right now,” he quipped.
Just days later, after a victory over the Arizona Cardinals, Nacua went live on Instagram from the locker room and found himself in a heated exchange with a teammate who requested he stop recording. “What do you mean you’re not? I’m looking at it,” the teammate insisted as Nacua initially denied being live.
“I know. But it’s not of everybody,” Nacua replied defensively. “Nobody’s in here yet, cuzzo. Ain’t nobody’s butt cheeks are on camera, man. Chill out, bruh.”
