After scoring a touchdown, footballers celebrate in a plethora of ways, but for LA Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua, a mere discussion of a celebration has landed him in controversy.

Today, Puka Nacua has apologised to his fans through his Instagram account.

“When I appeared the other day on a social media livestream, it was suggested to me to perform a specific movement as part of my next touchdown celebration. At the time, I had no idea this act was antisemitic in nature and perpetuated harmful stereotypes against Jewish people. I deeply apologize to anyone who was offended by my actions, as I don’t stand for any form of racism, bigotry, or hate of another group of people,” Puka Nacua said.

The incident occurred during a recent social media livestream featuring Adin Ross, a popular Jewish personality and a streamer who is known for interviewing right-wing personalities. During the stream, Ross suggested that Nacua celebrate a touchdown against the Seattle Seahawks by rubbing his hands together. While seemingly simple, this gesture is frequently used in antisemitic tropes to portray Jewish people as greedy or manipulative.

People are criticizing the gesture, saying it looks like an old internet meme from the 1990s called the “happy merchant.” 

Even though Adin Ross is Jewish and frequently does this move during his livestreams, he has also faced platform bans over the hateful conduct. His recent video with Puka Nacua has caused a lot of anger globally.

California Congressman Eric Swalwell spoke out against it. He argued that Nacua needs to apologize for his involvement or face serious consequences, such as losing his spot on the team. As he writes,

“The Los Angeles Jewish community is on edge after the Bondi Beach massacre. And what does this (expletive) (Nacua) do?  He promises an antisemitic touchdown dance for his Thursday night game. He should apologize or be dropped.”

Puka Nacua has issued a formal apology for his recent actions. The move comes after he held private talks with his coaches, agents, and NFL league officials to discuss the situation. Although news outlets like The LA Times asked for a comment earlier, the Rams and Nacua’s team stayed quiet.

Puka Nacua might just have invited more trouble for himself

The star receiver is surely facing potential trouble with the league after making controversial comments about NFL referees. During a Tuesday night livestream with popular internet personalities Adin Ross and N3on, Nacua called the officials “the worst” and suggested they sometimes make up penalties just to get more attention on television.

“The refs are the worst,” Nacua said. “… Some of the rules aren’t … These guys want to be … these guys are lawyers. They want to be on TV too. You don’t think he’s texting his friends in the group chat like, ‘Yo, you guys just saw me on “Sunday Night Football.” That wasn’t P.I., but I called it.'”

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These comments come at a risky time, as the NFL has a strict policy against players publicly criticizing officials. In the past, the league has handed out heavy fines to stars like Patrick Mahomes and coach Andy Reid for similar outbursts. While some players have successfully appealed these fines in the past, Nacua’s direct accusations about the integrity of the refs could result in a significant penalty from the league office.

The timing is also critical because the Rams are currently in a high-stakes race for the playoffs. Both the Rams and the Seattle Seahawks hold 11-3 records, and they are scheduled to face off on “Thursday Night Football” to decide who takes first place in the NFC West. 

With so much on the line, Nacua’s comments have added an extra layer of drama to one of the biggest games of the season. What are your thoughts about the situation?