Rams Star Puka Nacua Has Started Eating Fruit, But Remains Wary of Vegetables

Puka Nacua doesn’t like vegetables.

Nacua at Rams practice in May. / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Puka Nacua had an incredible rookie season for the Los Angeles Rams in 2023. The wide receiver out of BYU set NFL records for receptions and receiving yards by a rookie, made the Pro Bowl and was a big part of the Rams' bounce back from their Super Bowl hangover season in 2022.

Nacua also set rookie records with 15 receptions in a regular season game and 181 receiving yards in a playoff game. And he did it all without eating his vegetables. Nacua's odd diet was first mentioned in an ESPN story last month, but he gave a very colorful quote in another ESPN article about the best and worst diets in football that was published yesterday.

Nacua doesn't like any vegetables, listing green onions and asparagus before saying, "I don't do any of those." And so instead, he replaces the nutrients from vegetables with watermelon and pineapple in the morning to go with his eggs and bacon.

"Those are how I get some of my fiber and stuff like that because like, hey, you got to poop somehow," Nacua said. "And I'm like, I'm not getting it from any veggies."

It's hard to say what the funniest part of that anecdote is. Asparagus and green onions are oddly specific veggies to start with. And even more incredible is the fact that in the original ESPN article he said he wasn't into fruits, either. So watermelon and pineapple is actually a compromise for Nacua.

But that's the kind of thing you have to do if you want to poop and at least Nacua realizes you have to do that somehow. Even if it means pineapple with your bacon in the morning.

Parents of picky eaters, I'm not sure if this is the start of an inspirational story or a red flag that should keep you from visiting the Rams pro shop.