Puka Nacua’s breakout season hasn’t just turned heads around the league - it’s earned him some lofty comparisons from his own head coach. Rams coach Sean McVay, not one to toss around praise lightly, sees something special in his young wideout. So special, in fact, that it reminded him of a story about the legendary Jerry Rice - and how greatness gets built from the ground up.
Nacua, fresh off being named a First-Team All-Pro, has quickly become a cornerstone of the Rams’ offense. As Los Angeles gears up for a high-stakes showdown in Seattle with a Super Bowl berth on the line, McVay took a moment to reflect on what makes Nacua different. And it starts with the hands.
“He’s always had great natural hands,” McVay said. “Sometimes those guys can take it for granted, but not Puka.
He’s consistent. He catches everything.”
That consistency - the kind that shows up in big moments and cold-weather playoff games - is rooted in focus. And McVay sees shades of Jerry Rice in the way Nacua approaches the craft. He recalled a story from his own childhood, one his father told him about how Rice trained his hands.
Rice’s father, according to McVay, used to drop bricks into his son’s hands. The catch?
If he missed one, it landed on his brother’s head. Not exactly your standard receiver drill, but it got the point across: catch the ball - every time.
That level of discipline shaped Rice into the most prolific receiver in NFL history. And while Nacua’s just getting started, McVay sees a similar mindset in how he trains his eyes and hands.
“(Rice) would try to read the writing on the ball to increase his focus,” McVay said. “I think Puka’s done a great job with that same kind of concentration. And what’s impressive is he doesn’t let that focus slow him down after the catch - which is one of his elite traits.”
That trait was on full display this season. Nacua didn’t just rack up numbers - he led the league with 129 receptions, piled up 1,715 receiving yards, and found the end zone 10 times. He also ranked third in the NFL in yards after the catch, a testament to his ability to turn routine plays into explosive ones.
Even in the divisional round against the Bears, where his stat line wasn’t eye-popping, Nacua delivered when it mattered. In frigid, snowy conditions in Chicago, he came through with clutch grabs that kept drives alive and the Rams’ season rolling.
For a second-year player, it’s not just the numbers that stand out - it’s the poise, the polish, and the relentless attention to detail. And with the Rams one win away from another trip to the Super Bowl, Nacua’s rise feels less like a surprise and more like the arrival of a star who’s here to stay.
McVay sees it. His teammates feel it.
And if you’ve been watching closely, you know - Puka Nacua isn’t just catching passes. He’s catching fire at exactly the right time.