Samson Nacua, brother of Rams star Puka, slapped with suspension after slapping fan at UFL game
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Samson Nacua warms up before a preseason game against the Buffalo Bills on Aug. 13, 2022, in Orchard Park, N.Y.(Joshua Bessex / Associated Press)Samson Nacua, the older brother of Rams star Puka Nacua, was slapped with a one-game suspension without pay by the United Football League after video showed the Michigan Panthers receiver slapping a fan at a game.
The UFL announced the punishment Tuesday, three days after Nacua's altercation with a spectator who was leaning down from the stands after Saturday's game against the St. Louis Battlehawks at The Dome at America's Center in Missouri. Nacua will miss the Panthers' game Sunday against the DC Defenders in Washington, D.C.
The UFL also said Nacua agreed to participate in community service events that will be arranged by the league later this season. The league declined to comment further.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department told The Times that it is investigating the incident.
"We are working to obtain video from The Dome at America's Center that may have captured what led up to the encounter," police spokesperson Mitch McCoy said.
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In the video Nacua can be seen pointing and angrily yelling at a man in the stands seconds before jumping to strike him in the face with an open hand. As Nacua walks away, teammate Adonis Alexander can be seen pointing and speaking at the fan.
Nacua played four years at Utah then transferred to Brigham Young and played alongside brother Puca for his final college season. He went undrafted and spent time with the Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints but didn't make either team's final roster.
In his second season with the UFL's Panthers, he is teammates with older brother Kai, a former NFL safety.
Puka Nacua has become an NFL star in two seasons with the Rams. In 2023 he set NFL rookie records for total receptions (105) and receiving yards (1,486) and earned a Pro Bowl berth. Last year a right knee sprain caused him to miss five games early in the season.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.