Puka Nacua family tree: Meet football brothers Kai, Isaiah, Samson and Tei, NFL cousin Penei Sewell and more

Dan Treacy

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Puka Nacua family tree: Meet football brothers Kai, Isaiah, Samson and Tei, NFL cousin Penei Sewell and more image

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Few could have predicted that Puka Nacua would be the biggest star to emerge from the crop of wide receivers in the 2023 NFL Draft, but it didn't take long for the fifth-round pick to make a name for himself in the league.

Nacua set the rookie receiving record in 2023 with 1,486 yards, immediately stepping up as Matthew Stafford's go-to target as Cooper Kupp dealt with lingering injuries. Now, Nacua is an undeniable centerpiece of the Rams' receiving corps and will soon be paid like it.

The genes in the Nacua family run strong. The Rams star's siblings have all played football at a high level, while three of his cousins have reached the NFL. 

Here's what you need to know about Nacua's parents and football-playing family.

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Puka Nacua dad: Lionel Nacua

Nacua's father, Lionel, died from complications of Diabetes when the future Rams star was only 11. 

Puka told the Rams' team website that he sees his father as a "master planner" who helps put him in the right places at the right time. Not many fifth-round wide receivers rapidly develop into NFL stars, so it's not hard to see why Nacua believes his remarkable story is more than just the result of hard work and some luck. 

Puka's mother told the New York Post that, before he died, Lionel would make Puka watch film of his favorite NFL players on his way to and from football games. "Puka would have to sit there, and he’d be watching film as my husband was taking him to a game," she said.

"My husband loved defense, he loved having his boys hitting each other," Penina said. "He would have everybody suiting up and putting on the shoulder pads, and he’d make them go head-on, one-on-one." Because Puka was one of the youngest, she said, he was often the one taking the hits. 

Puka wore custom cleats supporting the Diabetes Foundation during the NFL's My Cause My Cleats movement late in his rookie season, paying tribute to his dad. By wearing the cleats, Nacua sought to bring more awareness to the condition that impacted his father. 

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Puka Nacua mom: Penina Nacua

After Lionel's death, Nacua's mother, Penina, had to raise six children on her own. Her efforts did not go unnoticed.

"The things that she sacrificed and the strength that that requires is something that I hold dear to my heart," Puka told the Rams' team website. 

Puka said he was amazed watching his mother "find a way to go to practice over here, go to practice over there, be at this game, and to be a team mom, and all those things." All four Nacua brothers played football through high school and into college, so Penina was forced to balance a packed schedule with the grief of losing her husband. 

While much of Penina's background is unknown, she raised a family of athletes who, in turn, have supported her at every step of the way. When Penina's mother (Puka's grandmother) battled ovarian cancer, Puka transferred from Washington to BYU to be there with his mother as she cared for his grandmother. 

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Puka Nacua brother: Kai Nacua

Nacua's brother, Kai, is a former NFL safety who also attended BYU. While Kai didn't cross paths with Puka at BYU because of their age gap, he became the first Nacua brother to reach the NFL when he latched on with the Browns after going undrafted in 2017.

Kai appeared in all 16 games and started three on a Browns team that went 0-16 in 2017, and he didn't appear in another NFL game until a stint with the 49ers in 2020. Kai's last NFL action came with the Jets in 2021, and he has played for the UFL's Michigan Panthers since 2016.

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Puka Nacka brother: Samson Nacua

Samson Nacua joined Utah as a walk-on in 2016 and spent five seasons with the Utes as a wide receiver before transferring to BYU, where he played one season with Puka. 

Samson totaled 329 yards and three touchdowns on 21 catches in his lone season at BYU. He racked up 1,344 yards and 14 touchdowns in his college career, setting a career-high with 107 yards in a BYU win over Virginia in 2021. Fittingly, Puka matched him with 107 yards in the victory. 

After going undrafted in 2022, Samson latched on with the Colts but was released before final roster cuts. He has yet to appear in an NFL game but did earn an NFL highlight in the 2024 preseason with the Saints when he returned a kick for 106 yards but came up just short of a touchdown.

An INCREDIBLE effort from Samson Nacua taking it 106 yards... 3 yards away from a Kick-6 😭

📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/emrjwmmOSp

— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) August 25, 2024

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Samson has spent two seasons with the UFL's Michigan Panthers alongside his brother, Kai, and totaled 121 yards with the team in 2025. He unfortunately made headlines for the wrong reasons during the 2025 UFL season when he hit a fan after a crushing loss. 

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Puka Nacua brother: Tei Nacua 

Tei Nacua is the fourth Nacua brother to join the BYU football program. He was a three-star recruit as a wide receiver in the class of 2024 but did not play as a true freshman. Tei remains on BYU's roster in hopes of becoming the next sibling to make an impact in Provo and take aim at the NFL.

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Puka Nacua brother: Isaiah Nacua

Isaiah Nacua was recruited out of high school as a defensive end and also landed at BYU, but he never appeared in a game with the Cougars.  

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Puka Nacua sister: Chanel Nacua

Nacua's only sister, Chanel, played basketball at Liberty High School in Henderson, Nev. before graduating in 2012.

While little is known about Chanel, Nacua cited her wearing the No. 12 one of the reasons he switched his jersey number to No. 12 in 2025. Nacua's brothers Samson and Kai also followed in Chanel's footsteps by wearing No. 12. 

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Puka Nacua cousin: Penei Sewell

Nacua has a handful of football-playing cousins, and Lions OT Penei Sewell is easily the most notable. Sewell, the No. 6 pick of the 2021 NFL Draft, is a two-time All-Pro and three-time Pro-Bowler in Detroit. He has met or even exceeded massive expectations since entering the NFL, anchoring an offensive line that has served as the bedrock of the Lions' rise in the NFC. 

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Puka Nacua cousin: Noah Sewell

Naturally, Nacua is also cousins with Noah Sewell, the younger brother of Penei. A fifth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Sewell has started his career as a reserve linebacker with the Bears. Sewell also attended the same high school as Nacua. 

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Puka Nacua cousin: Marist Liufau

Nacua is also cousins with Cowboys LB Marist Liufau, a third-round pick of the 2024 NFL Draft out of Notre Dame. Liufau started nine games in his rookie season, appearing in all 17 contests for the Cowboys. 

Before his rookie season, Liufau credited his cousin with setting a new standard for rookies in the NFL. "It's one of the highest bars you could probably set as a rookie, so thanks to Puka for that," he joked.

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Is Puka Nacua dating Hallie Aiono?

Nacua was dating Hallie Aiono as of early 2025, when the two revealed that they were expecting a child together. Despite posting a gender reveal in May 2025, Aiono filed a petition in June to determine whether the child actually belonged to Nacua, TMZ reported. She also filed for full physical custody of the child and only visitation rights for Nacua. 

Images of Nacua no longer appear on Aiono's Instagram account, and Aiono likewise is nowhere to be found on his. 

Aiono's court petition said she was 19 weeks pregnant as of June 16, which means she is due to have Nacua's child in early November.

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What is Puka Nacua's ethnicity?

While he was born and raised in the United States, Nacua is a combination of Samoan, Hawaiian and Portuguese. His mother is Samoan, while his father was Hawaiian and part Portuguese. 

Nacua's birth name is Makea Nacua; the last name comes from his Portuguese heritage.

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Where is Puka Nacua from?

Nacua was born in Las Vegas and spent his early years there before his family moved to Provo, Utah. He attended Orem High School just outside of Provo, initially playing left tackle.

After branching out a bit and starting his college career at the University of Washington, Nacua came back home to play his final two seasons at BYU in Provo before heading off to the NFL. 

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Dan Treacy

Dan Treacy is a content producer for Sporting News, joining in 2022 after graduating from Boston University. He founded @allsportsnews on Instagram in 2012 and has written for Lineups and Yardbarker.