Puka Nacua Explains Deleted Tweet Criticizing Refs After Rams' OT Loss to Seahawks

After criticizing NFL referees earlier in the week on a live stream, Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua went after the officials again following Thursday's 38-37 overtime loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

In the immediate aftermath of the game, Nacua wrote in a since-deleted post on X, "Can you say i was wrong. Appreciate you stripes for your contribution. Lol."

Speaking to reporters following the loss, Nacua called the post "some frustration" that came out in the heat of the moment:

"It was just a lack of awareness and just in some frustration. I know there were moments where I feel like, man, you watch the other games and you think of the calls that some guys get and you wish you could get some of those, but that's just how football has played, and I'll do my job in order to work my technique to make sure that there's not an issue with the call."

The social media post from Nacua came after he went on a livestream with Adin Ross and N3on on Wednesday and was critical of NFL referees:

Nacua's comments will be reviewed by the league for a potential fine, according to CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones.

There weren't any obvious egregious bad or blown calls by the officials in the game that would seem to trigger a response. The two teams combined for 13 accepted penalties, with the Rams being flagged eight times.

Seattle did tie the score at 30 midway through the fourth quarter on a two-point conversion that was scored as a Zach Charbonnet run, but it came when he picked up the ball on a pass from Sam Darnold that was deemed to be behind the line of scrimmage and deflected by Jared Verse.

Replay assist reviewed that play and determined the ball was thrown behind the line. NFL rules analyst Terry McAulay explained the process that allowed the call to be reversed to give Seattle the conversion:

Nacua's frustration at the loss is understandable given the ramifications it had for the Rams' playoff seeding.

Los Angeles was in the driver's seat for the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage in the NFC entering Thursday's and now faces the prospect of potentially falling down to the sixth seed by the end of Week 16.

The Rams are now the No. 5 seed in the NFC and trail the Seahawks by one game for the top spot in the NFC West. They could fall to third in the division and sixth in the conference if the San Francisco 49ers beat the Indianapolis Colts on Monday Night Football.

To win the division, the Rams will need to win their final two games, have Seattle lose at least one of its final two games and San Francisco lose two of its final three games.

Nacua and the Rams do have extra time to regain their composure after playing on a short week. They don't play again until the final regular season Monday Night Football game against the Atlanta Falcons on Dec. 29.