Los Angeles Rams wideout Puka Nacua has rapidly turn out to be a star within the NFL. The factor is, although, he isn’t planning on doing this endlessly, so he could as nicely make hay whereas the solar shines.
As a rookie in 2023, he caught 105 passes for 1,486 yards and 6 touchdowns. Not unhealthy for a fifth-round pick of BYU. He struggled a bit with harm in 2024 and performed in simply 11 video games, however Nacua nonetheless caught 79 passes for 990 yards and three touchdowns in his second NFL season.
If he is totally wholesome in 2025, the expectation must be that Nacua has one other 1,000-plus receiving yard season and if he retains it up, he may very well be nicely on his solution to a legendary profession with the Rams.
On the “Join The Lobby” podcast. Nacua revealed that he is planning on getting out of the NFL by the age of 30.
“I do know I wish to retire on the age of 30,” he mentioned (h/t ESPN). “I am 23 proper now, I am going into 12 months 3 — it would not even be 10 years. It would be perhaps seven or eight. I consider Aaron Donald, to exit on the prime, I believe it will be tremendous cool.”
Nacua revealed that he was impressed by Rams’ legendary defensive deal with Aaron Donald, who retired after simply 10 seasons on the prime of his recreation.
Accidents and the long-term affect of taking part in within the NFL additionally play into Nacua’s mindset, although.
“The accidents are one thing you may’t management [as] a part of the sport, so that you by no means know,” he defined. “Hopefully, the remainder of the profession can go wholesome, however you could have shoulder surgical procedure, you could have knee surgical procedure, you could have ankle. By the point my children may very well be 18, I may very well be barely strolling in the event you play the sport and maintain all of the accidents and stuff like that, however I wish to retire early.”
It is attention-grabbing to see the shift in participant’s mindsets that’s slowly occurring in comparison with the “outdated guard” of Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and now Aaron Rodgers— who held on to their NFL careers with reckless abandon.
A few of it must be the ample off-field alternatives NFL gamers are actually afforded. A few of it additionally must be the elevated consciousness of how an extended profession within the NFL can affect a participant’s long-term high quality of life.
Oh, after which there’s the cash. Gamers are making a lot greater than they used to, and cash means choices.
Whether or not Nacua continues to play at this tempo for the subsequent few seasons stays to be seen. Whether or not or not he nonetheless has the itch to play at 30 additionally stays to be seen.
It definitely is an attention-grabbing admission from one of many recreation’s brightest younger stars, although.
