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Puka Nacua tweet slams NFL refs after Rams loss, as WR doubles down on criticism; ‘can you say I was wrong’
Puka Nacua was already in trouble for saying ‘the refs are the worst’ on livestream, and has only doubled down on the criticism after the Rams loss today.
Los Angeles wide receiver Puka Nacua is not backing down from his criticism of NFL referees. After the Los Angeles Rams lost the game 38-37 to Seattle Seahawks, the 24-year-old appeared to double down on his attack, in a now-deleted X post (previously tweet).
Nacua's post was made soon after the game ended, and by the time he deleted it, screenshots had gone viral. ESPN's Adam Schefter also shared the post, saying he wrote it ‘moments after the Rams’ loss', but it directs to an empty page now, since Nacua has taken it down.
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What Puka Nacua said
Nacua, in the now-deleted post, said “Can you say i was wrong.” Then, he sarcastically addressed the referees, saying ‘Appreciate you stripes for your contribution’, alleging that they had a role to play in the team's loss. He signed off the now-deleted message with a ‘lol’.
This comes after his comments on the stream with N3on and Adin Ross, where Nacua spoke disparagingly about referees. “The refs are the worst. These guys are lawyers. They want to be on TV, too,” he said.
“You don’t think he’s texting his friends in the group chat like, ‘Yo, you just saw me on ‘Sunday Night Football?’ That wasn’t PI (pass interference), but I called it’,” Nacua had added. His comments touched upon a long-standing debate of the NFL using part-time refs – a decision criticized by fans, players and coaches alike.
However, Nacua's comments on the stream and today, could land the player in massive trouble, despite the stellar season he's been having.
Reactions and consequences to Puka Nacua post
Many have noted that a fine could be headed Nacua's way. A person remarked on the now-deleted post, ‘Delete before you get fined’. It appears Nacua did pay heed, but punishment could still be coming.
Under the NFL’s personal conduct and officiating criticism policies, players can be fined for public comments that question the integrity of officials or the league. These fines vary but in the past, they've ranged from $10,000 to more than $50,000 for criticizing referees and suggesting there's a bias.
However, when coach Sean McVay was asked about Nacua's tweet, at the post-match conference, he claimed to have no knowledge of it.
“What are you talking about? So what are you asking me about right now? I can't answer questions about something that I’m not aware of,” he said.
Notably, Nacua had a good game today, despite the Rams loss, and it appears that the coach and the team continue to support the player. He also apologized for his last comment and deleted this one, which seems to have gone some way in helping his case.
When Nacua was asked asked about his now-deleted post, he put it down to a ‘moment of frustration’.
He claimed the post was about some opportunities the team couldn't capitalize on, putting them in the hands of the referee.
