Puka Nacua Clears Air on Injury Scare After Sean McVay Speaks on Rams WR’s Return

Puka Nacua left SoFi looking like he’d just stepped out of a horror flick — blood smeared across his face, quick stop in the medical tent, then right back on the field like nothing happened. The crowd exhaled in relief, but after hearing what Nacua said about it later, you start to wonder if the guy’s actually made of steel.

Yeah, most guys would probably head to the tunnel. Pacua is built differently. “Tried to come back in here and make sure I could count to 10 on my hands. Coming back in here, I felt like my face was on my facemask and I was standing up, and it was all the way down here to the left,” he said.

Puka was questionable to return after suffering a head injury from a hit by Texans LB Henry To’oTo’o in the first half. Nacua caught a pass over the middle on third down when To’oTo’o delivered the blow, which drew an unnecessary roughness penalty. Nacua sustained a head cut and was being evaluated for a concussion in the locker room. Jordan Whittington replaced him at receiver. Before exiting, Nacua had 3 catches for 23 yards on 4 targets.

That was a scary minute for the fans. The hit, the blood, being sidelined for stitches and concussion protocols, it was a horror show. But not so much for Nacua himself. He passed, came back in the second quarter, and still ended up as the Rams’ top playmaker on the night.

He somehow elevated his game to another level after coming back. That toughness showed up right away; his first grab after coming back was a 24-yard strike into the red zone. Oh, and Nacua capped the 14–9 win with 10 catches for 130 yards, easily the spark in what was a grind-it-out game for the Rams. Stafford threw for 245 and, oh, by the way, became just the 10th QB ever to pass 60,000 career yards.

And Nacua being out would’ve been bad news for Sean McVay. Big time. He led the team in production last year with 79 catches for 990 yards, even after missing time. Keeping him on the field is huge, especially now with Adams and Nacua giving Matthew Stafford one of the most explosive one-two combos in the league.

And this guy has always had this mentality despite the setbacks. Just last year, he fought through a PCL sprain that landed him on IR and kept him out for weeks, but he still put up 79 catches for 990 yards in only 11 games. This is a player every head coach in the league dreams of, and Sean McVay sure is one happy man.

Sean McVay had big words for Puka Nacua

Sean McVay couldn’t contain the praise for Nacua after his gritty display. “I mean, he’s as tough as it gets. He ticks every box you’re looking for. I love this guy. I love what he represents. His energy, his play style, his mental and physical toughness. He’s a dog, and I’m grateful to have him on our group, and I know his coaches and teammates feel the same way,” he said.

And yes, the teammates do feel the same way. Matthew Stafford in particular. “When it becomes tackle football, is when Puka Nacua’s game comes to life. We’re really blessed to have him as a player, but as a person too, and as a competitor,” he said.

Stafford also predicted his career. He believes that this will potentially be “another one of those stories in probably a really long, successful career.” He was baffled by Nacua getting stitched up, coming back, and sealing the game at the very end. And come on, we all were.

But let’s take the grit and mentality out for a second, and talk about how pivotal Nacua will be from a strategic point of view. If Sunday’s opener is any clue, the Rams are leaning on a two-headed monster at receiver: Puka’s tough, in-line grit paired with Davante Adams’ smooth route work. Adams came over this offseason on a two-year deal, giving McVay a truly elite complementary piece.

Nacua’s 10-for-130 line is basically the baseline fans want every week, with the ceiling being the kind of explosive, game-changing production that made him one of the league’s most feared young receivers in 2023–24. And he’s only going to climb up from here.