Rams star Puka Nacua opens up about alcohol and rehab

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua said he struggled with alcohol and spent part of the offseason in a rehabilitation facility, describing a period he called the darkest times of his life in a pretaped interview with Netflix's Elle Duncan that aired Thursday before the Rams' season opener against the San Francisco 49ers in Melbourne, Australia. Nacua, 25, said the pressures of sudden NFL stardom, performing at an All-Pro level and becoming a father while navigating a coparenting relationship contributed to stress he did not handle well. His son is 10 months old. Alcohol was definitely a thing for me, Nacua said. Just kind of drowning myself so that the issues and the stress that I was feeling never had the opportunity to be addressed. But right when I entered the rehabilitation center I was able to have open and honest conversations. He said he tended to isolate himself rather than ask for help. I was never one to share my fears, my worries, I was always finding different ways to escape from that tension or stress, Nacua said. He added that therapy helped him recognize he is avoidant of conflict, a trait he found striking given his physical style of play.