Should Puka Nacua be giving financial advice to Brock Purdy?
Puka Nacua was never expected to be this big of a star, let alone so early in his career, but everybody wants the Rams number one receiver to be on their podcast. That popularity has led to quite a few off-field soundbite moments for Nacua, but perhaps none bigger or more relevant to the field than sharing his opinion over Brock Purdy’s contract negotiations with the San Francisco 49ers.
Nacua, maybe rightfully so, thinks that Purdy’s extension could cripple the 49ers if the numbers are too large.
To paraphrase the conversation between Nacua and Julian Edelman on the Games with Names podcast, the Rams receiver believes that a contract extension over $50 million per season would close San Francisco’s Super Bowl window, while $45 million could keep it open. This has unsurprisingly riled some fans and reporters of the 49ers.
Puka Nacua OWNS Brock Purdy “If he goes for $50M, the SB window closes” pic.twitter.com/ekKgek73n7
— ❤︎ (@DrakeMayeFC) April 17, 2025
David Lombardi of The San Francisco Standard, a media company that has only existed since 2021, tweeted that Puka Nacua is “illiterate” when it comes to the salary cap.
Puka Nacua’s comment on Brock Purdy’s contract is salary-cap illiterate. Nacua should know better, since the team that eliminated his Rams and won the Super Bowl has a $50m+ QB and hasn’t struggled to build a title-caliber roster around him (and the cap has climbed 24% since!)
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) April 18, 2025
Lombardi may not be aware of this, but Jalen Hurts’ cap hit in 2024 was $13.5 million, not $50 million.
Of course, this lesson extends to Puka, as he may not be aware that an extension won’t actually have a great hit on the salary cap for several more years to come.
Other 49ers fans on Twitter share Lombardi’s skepticism that there is a difference between $45 and $50 million per year. That’s assuming that Purdy is even going to accept $50 million when Dak Prescott makes $60 million per year.
Puka Nacua thinks if Purdy signs for $45M the 49ers are in great shape. But if Purdy signs for $50M their SB window is closed.
$5M per year isn’t the gap that separates a playoff roster from a basement team.
Roll down your window before you get in an accident, bruh. pic.twitter.com/y5pcO3Lh2b
— Dontay Atkinson (@DonAtkinsonNFL) April 19, 2025
OH WOW: #Rams star WR Puka Nacua says that the #49ers Super Bowl window will close if they pay quarterback Brock Purdy 50+ million dollars a year.
PUKA WITH SHOTS AT PURDY.
( @gameswithnames)
pic.twitter.com/6dpeZ17T3F— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) April 17, 2025
But many others agree with Nacua when it comes to Purdy’s value to the 49ers.
And Puka Nacua is a laid back individual who has been known to troll the media with ignorance in the past. Nacua said that he didn’t know the Rams were in the NFC West last year, to which Sean McVay responded by saying that the receiver was only joking. Nacua also said that he didn’t know that Brock Bowers broke his rookie record for receptions, or that he was even on track to do so, until someone told him.
“Honestly, I wasn’t paying attention…”
“Honestly I wasn’t paying attention until somebody told me. They’re like, ‘Did you see Brock Bowers?’ I was like, ‘No, what’s going on?'”
Puka Nacua speaks on Brock Bowers breaking his rookie record for receptions in a season ️ pic.twitter.com/1hMsZktcZb
— St. Brown Podcast (@StBrownPodcast) March 11, 2025
So Nacua probably doesn’t care what Brock Purdy makes or how it impacts the 49ers’ Super Bowl window. He’s likely to be more focused on his own game and his own contract extension, which could come as soon as 2026.
At which point, Brock Purdy is allowed to say whatever he wants about what Puka deserves.
