SEATTLE — Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua addressed his deleted tweet after the Rams’ 38-37 overtime loss.
‘Just a moment of frustration,’ Nacua said. ‘Just the opportunities that we didn’t take advantage of. Some of the moments that we put in the officials’ hands just felt like we could have executed to not put ourselves in those situations.’
Nacua took to social media moments after the Rams’ defeat.
‘Appreciate you stripes for your contribution. Lol,’ Nacua posted in a since deleted tweet.
The Seahawks converted a critical game-tying two-point conversion in the fourth quarter. Rams edge rusher Jared Verse tipped a Sam Darnold pass attempt that fell to the turf. The pass play was originally called incomplete, and the conversion failed.
Replay review, however, reserved the call and concluded Darnold had attempted a backward pass, and that Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet recovered the loose ball in the end zone for a successful conversion.
The Seahawks converted three two-point conversions in the game. Nacua said some of the ‘two-points plays’ were in the officials’ hands.
Nacua produced 12 catches for a career-best 225 yards and two touchdowns in the loss. However, part of Nacua’s performance was overshadowed by some of his off-field antics.
Nacua used an antisemitic trope during a Dec. 16 livestream appearance. He issued an apology Dec. 18 for the incident.
‘He was very apologetic. I don’t think he understood the totality of some of the things,’ Rams coach Sean McVay said. ‘I know this guy’s heart and for anybody that was offended, terribly sorry about that. I know he feels that same exact way. He’s a young guy, that’s a great kid that’s continuing to learn about just the platform that he has. I love him; we’re going to continue to put our arm around him and help him learn and grow. We never want to do things that ever offend anybody and I know he feels that same way.’
Nacua also criticized NFL officials during the same livestream. The wide receiver called his criticism of the officials a ‘lack of awareness’ and ‘some frustration.’
‘I know there are moments where you watch other games and you think the calls that some guys get, you wish you could get some of those,’ Nacua explained postgame. ‘But that’s just how football is played and I do my job in order to work my technique to make sure there’s not an issue with the call.’
McVay and multiple Rams players said the situation involving Nacua wasn’t a distraction leading up to their Week 16 contest.
‘To be honest with you, no. I didn’t even have time to think about it,’ Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford said. ‘I haven’t listened to it or seen it or whatever it is. I just know that I focused as much as I could to get ready to play this game as fast as I possibly could. I feel like a lot of guys on our team were in that boat to try and do that.’
Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.
