By admin 
Puka Nacua and the Los Angeles Rams are coming back after losing 27-7 to the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday. Head coach Sean McVay decided to fly his team out the day before the NFL’s first-ever international game in Australia, while San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan let his team get there a week early.
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Quarterback Matthew Stafford, who won the 2026 NFL MVP, had a rough night, throwing for 155 passing yards and zero touchdowns. Running back Kyren Williams carried the ball 11 times for 41 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown. Wide receiver Nacua led Los Angeles with five receptions and finished with a game-high 74 receiving yards on a strong 14.8 yards per catch.
The same day as the Week 1 opener at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the 2025 first-team All-Pro receiver made a personal reveal about his tumultuous offseason.
In an interview with Netflix’s Elle Duncan that aired before the Rams-49ers game, the 25-year-old revealed that his offseason was fueled by fear and escape, which turned him to alcohol, and that he sank deeper into the issue. He also spoke about how he is on a new path now and looks to show his children a better standard.
“I was never one to share my fears, my worries,” Nacua told Duncan. “I was always finding different ways to escape from that tension, that stress.” He continued, “I think one, alcohol was definitely a thing for me. Just kind of drowning myself so that the issues and the stress that I was feeling never had the opportunity to be addressed.”
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“I’m looking forward most to becoming a person that I think my son will be proud of,” Nacua continued. “And as my son gets older, I can share some of the things that I’ve learned from the mistakes I’ve made,” he said.
Rams’ Puka Nacua Reveals He Turned to Alcohol While Reflecting on ‘Darkest Times’ of His Life https://t.co/Wcp6Xrp2cj
— People (@people) September 11, 2026
Los Angeles will return to American soil to host the New York Giants at SoFi Stadium on Monday, Sept. 21, at 8:15 p.m. ET.
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This story was originally published September 11, 2026 at 9:09 AM.