Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay has been blown away by how quickly wide receiver Puka Nacua has become a star. His rise has reminded McVay of a story about Jerry Rice, one of the greatest receivers ever.
Nacua was named AP First-Team All-Pro last week. The Rams now face the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday with a Super Bowl spot on the line. Talking about Nacua’s growth, McVay highlighted how natural his hands are and how consistent he has been catching the ball. He said some players with such natural talent can sometimes take it for granted, but Nacua clearly hasn’t.
McVay shared a story about Rice’s father. He would drop bricks into Rice’s hands during training. If Rice dropped the ball, it would hit his brother’s head. This taught Rice to always focus and really watch the ball. McVay sees a similar focus in Nacua.
Rice also trained himself by reading the lettering on the football as he caught it. This sharpened his concentration. McVay says Nacua shows that same kind of attention to detail. He stays focused without losing his ability to make big plays after the catch, which is a rare skill.
This season, Nacua had 129 receptions, leading the NFL. He also finished with 1,715 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. He was third in the league for yards after catching. Even in tough conditions like the snowy game against the Bears, Nacua made several key catches to help his team move the chains.
Nacua’s combination of focus, natural talent, and work ethic is turning him into one of the NFL’s top receivers, and McVay sees a future as bright as the legends like Rice.
