Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua has been dealing with a string of offseason troubles. Adding to that scrutiny, his ex-girlfriend and content creator Hallie Aiono shared some disturbing allegations about their past relationship. While Aiono did not explicitly name Nacua in her post, she spoke about how having parts of their relationship in the public eye during what she described as an abusive period took a toll on her mental health.
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Just a day after those revelations surfaced, Nacua posted a message for Aiono on her birthday, offering a glimpse of their current co-parenting dynamic amid the controversy.
“Happy birthday to Kingstons mom. Thank you for everything you have sacrificed and done for our son,” Nacua wrote on his Instagram story, alongside a photo of Aiono, their son, and himself sitting on the practice field.
Nacua and Aiono reportedly began dating in 2021 and welcomed their son, Kingston, last October. Before Kingston’s birth, Aiono filed a petition seeking legal and full physical custody of the child. At the time, Nacua acknowledged the possibility of being the father but requested genetic testing. After Kingston was born, the couple appeared to move past their differences and celebrated the arrival of their baby boy.
The pair shared images from when Kingston was born, with Nacua commenting, “Proud of you hal! Welcome king ❤️🩹.”
While both parents now say they have made peace with co-parenting their child, Aiono has been opening up about her past relationship and the mental struggles she endured during that time.
“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,” Aiono said in the TikTok video on Sunday.
Aiono did not name anyone in the clip, but her references to a four-year relationship and the pressures of being in the public eye align with her timeline with the Rams receiver.
“A lot of the things that were public affected my mental health. But honestly, the things that were happening in private are what completely crushed me and altered my brain chemistry,” she said. “Those parts, what people never saw, or know of, are what broke me.”
Beyond the allegations from Aiono, Nacua is also facing a separate civil lawsuit filed by a woman named Madison Atiabi. According to ESPN, Atiabi alleges that Nacua made an “unprovoked antisemitic statement” and bit her on the shoulder during a New Year’s Eve gathering. The suit cites gender violence, assault and battery, and negligence.
Nacua’s attorney, Levi McCathern, has denied the antisemitic remarks claim, saying “multiple sober witnesses have stated unequivocally that Puka never made the comments Ms Atiabi claims.” McCathern characterized the alleged biting as “horseplay.”
The NFL is actively reviewing the situation under its personal conduct policy, and reports have suggested Nacua could face suspension this season.
In August, ESPN senior NFL insider Adam Schefter said it was possible Nacua might miss the Rams’ season opener in Australia. However, no disciplinary action has been taken yet, and Schefter later indicated there is a “real possibility” Nacua avoids discipline altogether.
Head coach Sean McVay confirmed yesterday that Nacua is expected to be part of the season opener, noting he has not been placed on the commissioner exempt list.