Los Angeles Rams' Puka Nacua slapped with $25,000 fine from NFL

Mike Moraitis

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Los Angeles Rams' Puka Nacua slapped with $25,000 fine from NFL image

The wallet of Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua will be a little lighter this week.

According to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, Nacua has been slapped with a $25,000 fine for his criticism of NFL officials.

"The NFL has fined Rams WR Puka Nacua $25,000 for his comments about officiating, source says. Nacua had compared officials to lawyers and said they make calls to be on TV," Garafolo reported.

Nacua's criticism came during a livestream he appeared on with popular streamers Adin Ross and N3on.

Nacua claimed that NFL officials sometimes call penalties because they simply want to be on television.

"The refs are the worst," Nacua said, per ESPN's Sarah Barshop. "... Some of the rules aren't... These guys want to be... These guys are lawyers. They want to be on TV too. You don't think he's texting his friends in the group chat like, 'Yo, you guys just saw me on "Sunday Night Football." That wasn't P.I., but I called it.'"

Following the Week 16 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, Nacua doubled-down on his comment in an X post before later deleting it.

"Can you say I was wrong. Appreciate you stripes for your contribution. Lol," Nacua wrote in the now-deleted post.

When speaking to reporters after that, Nacua said his tweet was out of frustration.

He also walked back his previous comment about officials.

“No, I don't,” Nacua said when asked if he believes officials call penalties to be on TV. “It was just a lack of awareness and just in some frustration. I know there were moments where I feel like, man, you watch the other games and you think of the calls that some guys get and you wish you could get some of those, but that's just how football is played, and I'll do my job in order to work my technique to make sure that there's not an issue with the call.”

Nacua has had a terrible week, but that didn't stop him from dropping 225 yards and two touchdowns in the losing effort to the Seahawks.

Nacua is now in striking distance to take over the league lead in receiving yards, as he trails Seahawks wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba by just 45 with two games left.

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Staff Writer