Rams receiver Puka Nacua details personal struggles and rehabilitation

Los Angeles Rams receiver Puka Nacua spoke publicly before the team's season opener about his recent recovery in a holistic rehabilitation center. Nacua described this past offseason as one of the most difficult periods of his life, noting that he struggled with the pressures of his professional career and personal life. He admitted to using alcohol as a coping mechanism to avoid addressing the stress of his public profile and challenges with co-parenting his young son. The receiver identified a tendency to avoid conflict as a personal obstacle he worked to overcome during his time in treatment. Nacua remains involved in a pending civil lawsuit and has begun a diversion program in lieu of prosecution. These off-field matters create potential implications for the NFL’s Personal Conduct Policy and the status of his current contract, which enters its final year.

• 12:14 AMYahoo Sports — Puka Nacua addresses "darkest times" in his life, fueled by "drowning" in alcohol