What happened to Puka Nacua’s father? | Who Is the Father of Puka Nacua?

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Puka Nacua finds himself surrounded by a locker room brimming with inspiration for aspiring young football talents. Within the Los Angeles Rams‘ facility, seasoned veterans like Aaron Donald, Cooper Kupp, and Matthew Stafford roam.

But the one person who always believed he would rise above the rest of his siblings was his father.

Puka Nacua's father

Nacua is the son of Lionel Nacua and is the fifth of six children born to Lionel and his mother, Penina. During his youth, Puka’s father doubled as one of his first football coaches.

According to the Deseret News, Lionel Nacua encouraged a young Puka to trade in SpongeBob SquarePants for film analysis, even watching college football games on TV with his father and older brothers. Lionel Nacua played a dual role in their lives, transitioning between father figure and coach. The family also shared a deep-rooted passion for Brigham Young football, with hopes that their boys would one day join the Cougars.

Sadly, Lionel Nacua unexpectedly passed away in May 2012 at the age of 45, due to complications from diabetes. Nevertheless, Kai and Isaiah, Puka’s brothers, went on to verbally commit to BYU after their father’s demise.

Ultimately, Puka Nacua achieved the status of a revered BYU Cougar, although his journey didn’t initially take that path.

Initially, Nacua’s college football journey was headed to the Seattle area, with plans to attend USC. However, he ultimately signed his national letter of intent to play for the University of Washington. He started in three games in 2019 and saw action in eight more, followed by three games in the shortened 2020 season due to COVID-19.

Fast forward to the present, and Puka Nacua is an active Los Angeles Rams wide receiver, ready for their Week 3 Monday night clash against the Cincinnati Bengals. As a rookie drafted by the Rams in the fifth round of the 2023 draft, Nacua has already made a significant impact on the team’s offense this season. He currently leads the team in receiving yards with 266 over two games and recorded 15 catches for 147 yards in his most recent outing. Despite these achievements, he still awaits his first professional touchdown.

Although Nacua was listed as a limited participant this week due to an oblique injury, he will take to the field on Monday evening as the Rams and Bengals face off in a rematch of Super Bowl 56. The Bengals have not secured a victory against the Rams since 2015 and have begun the 2023 season with a 0-2 record, while the Rams stand at 1-1.

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