Rams WR Puka Nacua wants to retire at age 30 because of a shocking reason

Puka Nacua is among the best young wide receivers in the NFL. Although Nacua is only 23, the BYU graduate wants to play until he’s 30 and then retire from football.

In a recent segment of the Join the Lobby podcast, Nacua elaborated on various subjects. From naming the best-ever wide receiver to revealing his first purchase from his NFL money.

Yet, the part that caught the attention of social media turned out to be none of the above. Even though Nacua’s only played two seasons of football in the NFL, he doesn’t view himself motoring like Hall of Famer Jerry Rice at the age of 37.

Nacua wants to retire when he nears 30, and there’s a valid reason for it.

I want to retire at the age of 30… I’m 23 right now [and] I’m going into Year 3—it wouldn’t even be 10 years. It’d be maybe seven or eight. I think of Aaron Donald—to go out at the top, I think it would be super cool.

Puka Nacua said

The Los Angeles Rams drafted Nacua in the 2023 fifth round. He played second fiddle to veteran Cooper Kupp during his first two seasons in LA. The Rams replaced Kupp with Davante Adams. It’s not a bad situation to learn from two future Hall of Famers.

Puka Nacua reveals the reason for retiring at age 30

Nacua views retired star defensive end Aaron Donald as a benchmark. Donald was a 3x NFL Defensive Player of the Year, 8x Pro Bowler, and lifted the Lombardi Trophy with Kupp in 2021.

Two years after bagging his first and only ring, Donald decided to walk away and retire at the age of 32. In a later interview, Donald highlighted the reason for retiring when most pass rushers are in their prime.

I’m complete. I’m full… The passion to play the game is no longer there for me. I will always love football, but to think about going through another camp and another 17-[game] season, I just don’t [have] the urge to want to push myself through that no more.

Aaron Donald told his wife, Erica. (H/T: Los Angeles Times)

Nacua harbors similar views. It’s better to retire in peak physical condition instead. Prolonging the career past a certain point increases the chances of receiving injuries, and Nacua wants to avoid it at all costs.

The injuries are something you can’t control [as] part of the game, so you never know… Hopefully, the rest of the career can go healthily, but you have shoulder surgery, you have knee surgery, and you have ankle. By the time my kids could be 18, I could be barely walking.

Puka Nacua said

Puka Nacua Explains Why He Wants To Retire by 30 👀 pic.twitter.com/hpsTilI74x

— Join The Lobby (@jointhelobbypod) March 24, 2025

Nacua wants to raise a big family

One of the reasons for retiring at the age of 30 for Nacua is raising a big family. He hails from Nevada and is of Samoan descent, growing up with several brothers, sisters, and cousins. Nacua wants to have the same vibe and atmosphere in his house.

I came from a big family, so I need five boys, for sure. But also, like, I want to be able to be a part of their lives and be as active as I can with them.

Puka Nacua said

Nacua’s words bear a striking resemblance to another future Hall of Famer. The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is set to enter the ninth season of his NFL career in 2025. In those seasons, the 29-year-old won multiple AFC West and AFC Championships, 3 Super Bowls (nearly a three-peat), married his high school sweetheart Brittany, and is the father of three children: Sterling Skye Mahomes (3 years old), Patrick ‘Bronze’ Lavon Mahomes III (2 years old), and Golden Raye Mahomes (born Jan. 12, 2025).

Fans already consider Mahomes in the same category as 7x Super Bowl winner Tom Brady. However, Brady played until his mid-40s, but Mahomes doesn’t believe he can.

If I played until Tom [Brady’s] age, my daughter [Sterling] would be 19 or 20 years old…I would love to play that long…[But], I want to be there for my daughter… If I feel like it’s taking away from my family time, that’s when I’ll know it’s time to go.

Patrick Mahomes said

It’s great that a young individual like Nacua seriously thinks about his future. His decision might concern the Rams fandom, but a couple of rings before retiring will be enough for them to anoint him as a franchise legend.

In his first two seasons with the Rams, Puka Nacua recorded 184 receptions for 2476 yards and 9 touchdowns. In three postseason games, Nacua added 20 receptions for 332 yards and one touchdown.

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