Home Sports Rams WR Puka Nacua ejected for punching Seahakws LB Tyrel Dodson

Rams WR Puka Nacua ejected for punching Seahakws LB Tyrel Dodson

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Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (17) warms up before an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks in Seattle, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (17) warms up before an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks in Seattle, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua was ejected Sunday for throwing a punch at Seattle Seahawks linebacker Tyrel Dodson.

The blow came when the Seahawks held a 6-3 lead late in the second quarter. Matthew Stafford targeted Nacua on a downfield pass on first-and-10 from the Los Angeles 44-yard line.

Seahawks cornerback Tariq Woolen intercepted the ball at the Seattle 25-yard line and went down due to contact. Woolen returned the ball, apparently not realizing it was down.

Dodson faced Nacua to block him while Woolen ran with the ball. Nacua, apparently realizing that the play was over and frustrated by the turnover, hit Dodson with his right fist on the side of Dodson’s helmet.

The officers saw the hit and flagged Nakua for unnecessary roughness. He was ejected from the game, but Nakua did not immediately leave the field. He sat on the bench for several moments before finally running to the locker room with 17 seconds left in the half to a round of boos from the Seattle home crowd.

The turnover and penalty put Seattle with the ball at its own 40-yard line with 27 seconds left in the half. The Seahawks responded with a three-play, 60-yard drive that ended with a 24-yard touchdown pass from Geno Smith to Jaxon Smith-Njigba to extend their lead to 13-3 before halftime.

For Nakua, the incident adds to a difficult season for the second-year wide receiver who broke out with a Pro Bowl season as a rookie. Nakua suffered an ACL injury in the Rams’ season opener and missed the next five games.

He returned in Week 8 to total seven catches for 106 yards in a 30-20 win over the Minnesota Vikings, showing the upside he showed as a rookie that made him a top fantasy football target. But he left Sunday’s game with just one catch for 11 yards and his Rams trailed the NFC West rival Seahawks.

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