Rams WR Puka Nacua eyes Aaron Donald path to retirement

Puka Nacua knows exactly when he plans on walking away from the game of football. And apparently, it's not that far down the road.

The 23-year-old joined the “Join The Lobby” podcast recently and was asked about how much longer he plans on playing the game. Nacua admitted that he plans on walking away from the game after he turns 30.

“I know I want to retire at the age of 30,” Nacua said. “I'm 23 right now, I'm going into Year 3 – it wouldn’t even be 10 years. It’d be maybe seven or eight. I think of Aaron Donald, to go out at the top, I think it would be super cool. But also, I want to have a big family. I want to have at least a starting five. I came from a big family so I need five boys, for sure.

Nacua added:

"But also, like, I want to be able to be a part of their lives and be as active as I can with them. The injuries are something you can’t control (as) part of the game, so you never know. Hopefully, the rest of the career can go healthy, but you have shoulder surgery, you have knee surgery, you have ankle."

Nacua has been a bright surprise for the Rams organization in recent years. The 2023 fifth-round draft pick has become a young star for Los Angeles and is now, seemingly, the team's number-one receiver after the departure of Cooper Kupp.

In 2023, Nacua exploded onto the scene with 105 receptions for 1,486 receiving yards and six touchdowns. That season set NFL records for most receiving yards by a rookie receiver, as well as most receptions by a rookie in a game with 16.

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This past season, Nacua caught 79 receptions for 990 yards and three touchdowns. His efforts assisted the Rams in making the playoffs after winning the NFC West.

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Nacua will be part of a brand-new-looking offense in Los Angeles after the departure of Cooper Kupp, who was released on March 12. Kupp has since inked a three-year, $45 million contract with the Seattle Seahawks. As for Nacua and the Rams, they welcome Davante Adams into the fold, who signed a two-year, $44 million deal with Los Angeles in early March.

Now, Nacua and Adams will be catching passes from Matthew Stafford as the Rams attempt to return to the Super Bowl for the first time since 2022. The team has a lot to build off of after making it to the Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs last season, where they were narrowly defeated by eventual Super Bowl champions the Philadelphia Eagles 28-22.