Puka Nacua and Matthew Stafford (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Puka Nacua knows the Los Angeles Rams are close to breaking through.
Nacua has been to the playoffs in each of his first three seasons, going deeper and deeper into the postseason with each passing year. After producing the best season of his career, the Rams advanced to the NFC Championship Game.
However, they came up just short as they lost to their division rivals, the Seattle Seahawks, 31-27, when they failed to score a touchdown on their final drive. Nacua actually caught a pass on the final play of the game as time ran out.
“That’s what you live for,” said Nacua in a one-on-one interview with RG about playing in the Super Bowl. “You live your dream about that as a little kid to play in those big games. Obviously we didn’t have the outcome that we wanted, but it drives that competitive edge to head into the offseason, and that motivation to continue to get better. I know everybody on our team, with how young we are and how many playoff games have had a chance to play since being in the league. I think all the guys that were drafted by the Rams in 2023 have played a playoff game every single year since I’ve been in the league.
“Obviously this year, going all the way to the NFC Championship, it’s fun,” Nacua continued to say.
“You learn things. You learn how to take care of your body. The routine is different, the understanding, the mental capacity to fight past the 17 weeks of regular season and say, ‘Hey, there’s a whole new season that we’re about to play.’ Everything that happened doesn’t matter. The ability to reset and then refocus I think is something that our team has done well, and I know that obviously this offseason that we’re going to do our best.”
The Rams’ past three postseason exits have all come by one possession, showing just how close they are to getting back to the big game. Nacua is coming off of his best year, leading the league with 129 receptions in addition to ranking second with 1,715 yards.
When asked what is the key to breaking through, Nacua specifically mentioned converting on third and fourth down opportunities.
“I think I can speak for the offensive side of the ball, of the opportunities, in those crunch time moments in the third down and the fourth down conversions, when the game’s on the line, the ability to execute in those moments,” said Nacua. “I know that as a wide receiver, you come up, you sprint onto the field when it’s third down, because everybody knows that the ball is getting ready to be passed. The ability to execute every single time you walk out there in a third down is critical every time and in every game.
“That’s a huge pride in our wide receiver room, especially for our offense,” Nacua continued. “But I think the ability to play for each other. I think we have the most selfless quarterback in the NFL, and that mentality that he has bleeds into every other position group. So to continue that, because it will pay off for us.”
Stafford’s Return
While Nacua is coming off his best season, his quarterback, 38-year-old Matthew Stafford, is also coming off his finest year after posting an MVP season. The veteran quarterback posted a league-leading 46 touchdown passes, 4,707 passing yards, and a career high 109.2 passer rating. For perspective, Stafford’s previous career high for touchdowns was 41.
Stafford made the decision shortly after the end of the season to return for his 18th season.
“No, I wish I knew that he was going to come back, but it made it that much better,” said Nacua when asked if he knew Stafford was coming back.
“I can only imagine the talks that he had with his wife, but then the ability for him to make that sacrifice again. It makes it even more exciting. You have a lot of motivation obviously with how the season went, to be ready for this next season. But knowing that we got our guy back, it’s gonna make things even more fun.”
Leadership From Donald
As the current Rams look to get over the hump and win their first Super Bowl in five years, one key figure – Aaron Donald, who was a part of the previous team – keeps in close touch with the players and the organization.
Donald is considered one of the best defensive linemen in NFL history and played one season with Nacua before retiring at the end of the 2023 season.
“He reaches out during the season, especially when I feel like there are some of the things that as a leader, you try to find ways to connect with the team, especially on the defensive side of the ball,” said Nacua of Donald. “He understands that mentality obviously more than I ever could. Trying to find ways to ask about what he did as a leader for the team when he was trying to talk to the offensive side of the ball, and how I can use some of those things to talk to the guys on the opposite side of the ball.”
Nacua mentioned that Donald still visits the team once a week during the season. He said he’s glad Donald doesn’t stop by the weight room. It’s well-known how strong the 280-pounder is, who is known to squat over 600 pounds.
“100%, we see him stop by at least once a week,” said Nacua. “It feels like he’s in there, and then I’m just glad he doesn’t stop by the weight room still.”