Puka Nacua’s status for Week 1 remains unresolved, and the noise around him got louder over the weekend.
On Sunday night, Hallie Aiono, the mother of Nacua’s son, Kingston, posted a TikTok video that renewed attention on the Rams receiver as he stays under NFL review. Aiono did not mention Nacua by name, but the context made the target of her comments clear. She and Nacua previously went through a public paternity dispute last year after their relationship ended.
In the video, Aiono spoke about the strain of that relationship without getting into specific incidents. “I went from loving somebody so deeply for four years, I felt it in my bones, to experiencing extreme betrayal, abuse, complete neglect from them, in what felt like it happened almost overnight,” she said.
She also explained why she turned to therapy. “A lot of the things that were public affected my mental health,” she said.
“But honestly, the things that were happening in private are what completely crushed me and altered my brain chemistry. Those parts, what people never saw, or know of, are what broke me.”
The video focused more on her decision to seek professional support than on any new accusation, though it added another layer to the scrutiny already surrounding Nacua. Aiono has posted similarly emotional messages before in the months after the split.
The off-field questions facing Nacua are not limited to his relationship with Aiono. In March, Madison Atiabi filed a lawsuit accusing him of biting her shoulder and making an antisemitic remark during a New Year’s Eve gathering. The complaint includes claims of gender violence, assault and battery, and negligence.
Nacua’s attorney, Levi McCathern, has denied those allegations. He called the incident “horseplay” and said it “is not sexual in nature, nor does it involve any allegation of domestic violence.”
Nacua checked into a rehab facility in April, a move his legal team said was tied to the scrutiny surrounding him. The NFL has not announced a suspension, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Nacua remains among several players under review before the season.
The Rams have already taken steps that could help if discipline is handed down, including a trade for receiver Tutu Atwell. Los Angeles opens the season Sept. 10 against the 49ers in Melbourne, Australia, and Nacua’s availability for that game is still up in the air.
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Rams Face An Unusual Roster Problem Before Their Australia Opener
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John Lynch described the process as a logistical grind, especially when it comes to new practice squad players who may still need passports and visas sorted out. For Los Angeles, the challenge is the same one facing San Francisco: the longest road trip in league history is also one of the most complicated, and the work behind the scenes has already started well before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]