Sean McVay said Sunday he expects Puka Nacua and Alaric Jackson to be on the field for the Los Angeles Rams when they open Week 1 against the San Francisco 49ers in Australia. McVay said he does not foresee either player being unavailable, and added that he has not heard anything from the NFL that would make him think discipline is coming before the opener.
“Yeah, absolutely,” McVay said at his Sunday news conference when asked whether he expected the two to suit up. “That’s what I’ve heard. I haven’t heard anything different.” That is the immediate reason the Puka Nacua potential NFL suspension question is drawing attention now: the Rams are getting close to their first game, and their coach is signaling that both players remain on track to play.
The issue around Nacua is not new. A civil lawsuit was filed against him in March by a woman who alleged he made an antisemitic remark and bit her on the shoulder on New Year’s Eve. Before that lawsuit, Nacua had voluntarily entered a holistic care facility to focus on his personal growth, then left in time to take part in the entire Los Angeles Rams offseason program. That history is what leaves open the possibility of NFL review, even as McVay is sounding confident about his availability.
Jackson’s offseason was also marked by legal trouble. He was arrested on suspicion of felony domestic violence on June 9, and on June 13 his case was assigned for a pre-filing diversion that could allow him to avoid criminal charges. The NFL has already reviewed offseason legal situations for Josh Jacobs and Jonathon Cooper, and both were placed on the Commissioner's Exempt List on Aug. 30, a reminder that the league can move before a case is fully resolved.
That is where the uncertainty sits. McVay said he has heard nothing different about Nacua or Jackson, but the question is still whether the NFL will act under its personal conduct policy before Week 1. The Rams are preparing as if both players will be available, while the league has shown it can place players on the Exempt List when it chooses to intervene ahead of the season.
There is also the football side of the roster watch. Aaron Donald and Myles Garrett practiced Sunday, and McVay said he would update their game statuses on Tuesday. McVay also said Nacua has been dealing with psoas soreness during camp, which adds one more layer to a season-opening status that is still being watched closely. For now, the Rams coach is treating both Nacua and Jackson as available, and the next meaningful word may have to come from the NFL before the team boards for Week 1.
