The NFL started handing out suspensions on Friday, but Puka Nacua was not one of the players disciplined. His case is still under review, leaving the Los Angeles Rams waiting for clarity on whether he could still face a suspension soon.
That matters because Friday was the league’s first public pass at discipline in this round, and Nacua was left out while other cases moved ahead. James Pearce of the Atlanta Falcons received eight games, while Phidarian Mathis, Nazeeh Johnson and Dorance Armstrong were also suspended.
Nacua’s name had already been in the mix. Adam Schefter reported last week that his case and Alaric Jackson’s were both under review by the NFL, and Friday’s list did not resolve either one. In other words, no suspension on Friday does not mean the matter is over.
The same day also showed how varied these cases can be. Alaric Jackson was not suspended either, even though his situation has already gone through a different legal path after a June arrest on felony domestic battery charges. City officials declined to file felony charges, and his case was assigned to pre-filing diversion, with options that included a class, restitution or community service.
That parallel is part of why Nacua’s status still hangs in the balance. The NFL has already acted on some players and left others under review, which suggests the next decision could still land within the next week or two. For Nacua, the important fact today is not what happened on Friday, but what did not: the league did not clear him, and it did not close the book on his case either.
