Sunday's showdown between the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams was full of twists and turns, but the most bizarre one came at the end of the first half.
As the Rams were driving and looking to flip momentum before halftime, Matthew Stafford threw an interception to Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen, but what happened after the play was the strange part. Los Angeles wide receiver Puka Nacua, the intended target on the play, got into an altercation with Seattle linebacker Tyrel Dodson, eventually throwing a punch that earned him an ejection.
On Saturday, the NFL handed Nacua a second dose of punishment in the form of a $5,424 fine for unnecessary roughness.
The NFL fined #Rams WR Puka Nacua $5,424 for the punch that got him ejected last week. pic.twitter.com/jfKtFj8E4E
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) November 9, 2024
After the game, Nacua, who had just one catch for 11 yards prior to his ejection, explained his thoughts on the play and the immediate aftermath.
"Just a learning experience," Nacua said. "Being super competitive in between those lines, there were some things said earlier in the game, just letting my emotions get the best of me and reacting instead of responding. I knew the play was down after the interception, he just had some hands on me while I was trying to get off the block, so I just made sure I could defend myself, and get ready to see whatever was happening after the play.”
Last season, Nacua set records with 160 receptions for 1,486 yards and six touchdowns. This season, though, the BYU product has missed significant time with injury, as the game against Seattle was just his third of the year. He now has 12 receptions for 152 yards on the year.
The Seahawks will see Nacua and the Rams to close out the regular season in Los Angeles on Jan. 5.
