Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua has been sued by a woman who alleges he made an antisemitic remark and bit her on the shoulder during a New Year's Eve dinner in Los Angeles last year. The civil lawsuit, filed this week, also cites gender violence and negligence.
Madison Atiabi, who is Jewish, claims that Nacua said “fuck all Jews” at the dinner, leaving her “immediately uncomfortable and emotionally distressed”. She further alleges that later in the evening, Nacua bit her shoulder, leaving teeth marks, and bit a friend’s thumb with such force that the friend screamed in pain.
Nacua’s attorney, Levi McCathern, has strongly denied the allegations, describing the biting as “horseplay”. In a statement, McCathern said that “multiple sober witnesses have stated unequivocally that Puka never made the comments Ms Atiabi claims”. He added that Nacua intends to countersue for defamation.
The lawsuit comes months after Nacua issued an apology in December for performing a gesture that plays upon antisemitic tropes during an internet live stream. The NFL star has not commented publicly on the new legal action.
Nacua led the league last season with 129 catches, 1,715 yards and 10 touchdowns, adding 24 catches for 332 yards and two scores in the playoffs. The 24-year-old is eligible for a contract extension that could make him one of the highest-paid receivers in NFL history, though no progress has been announced.
