Puka Nacua, a wide receiver for the Los Angeles Rams, apologized on Thursday for performing an antisemitic touchdown dance online earlier in the week.
Nacua appeared on a Dec. 16 livestream with Adin Ross, who is Jewish and has a history of controversial actions criticized for enabling antisemitism and racism, and a streamer who goes by the name “N3on.”
Toward the end of the stream, Ross told Nacua that for his touchdown celebration dance, he should mirror Ross’s “iconic Jewish dance,” involving throwing the football down and spinning it, flexing his muscles and then rubbing his hands together while hunched over, a gesture commonly associated with antisemitic tropes.
The Rams receiver mimicked Ross’s suggested dance on the stream and promised that he would do it when he scored his next touchdown.
“At the time, I had no idea this act was antisemitic in nature and perpetuated harmful stereotypes against Jewish people,” Nacua stated on Thursday. “I deeply apologize to anyone who was offended by my actions, as I do not stand for any form of racism, bigotry or hate of another group of people.”
In response to the backlash, the NFL stated that it “strongly condemns all forms of discrimination and derogatory behavior directed toward any group or individual.”
“The continuing rise of antisemitism must be addressed across the world, and the NFL will continue to stand with our partners in this fight,” the league stated. “Hatred has no place in our sport or society.”
Prior to Nacua’s apology, Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) stated that “the Los Angeles Jewish community is on edge after the Bondi Beach massacre” and Nacua “promises an antisemitic touchdown dance for his Thursday night game.”
“He should apologize or be dropped,” Swalwell wrote.
Ross, who has been repeatedly banned by the streaming platform Twitch for “hateful content,” reportedly hosted Nick Fuentes, a Holocaust denier, and an anonymous new-Nazi on his platform in the past.
In a livestream video released on Friday, Ross decried the criticism of Nacua, claiming that Ross is allowed to make and share those jokes because he is Jewish.
“It’s the same way that my Mexican brother here will crack Mexican jokes, I can stereotype a dude, do my own Jewish” stuff.
Ross also responded to Swalwell, stating, “Address innocent lives being killed every day in Gaza.”
