Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua made a bold move off the field Friday, publicly flirting with actress Sydney Sweeney after she revealed her ideal partner traits in a magazine interview.
Nacua, 24, responded to a post on X, formerly Twitter, quoting Sweeney’s comments to Cosmopolitan where she described seeking someone “athletic and outgoing and funny.” The “Euphoria” star added that her match should be able to “climb a mountain with me, go skydiving with me” and love their family.
Quoting the post from Complex, Nacua simply wrote: “Love skydiving.” The response quickly went viral, garnering more than 157,000 likes and sparking a wave of reactions across social media.
Love skydiving https://t.co/evgL5lqw7M
— Puka Nacua (@AsapPuka) January 31, 2026
The flirtatious post comes amid Nacua’s recent separation from longtime girlfriend Hallie Aiono. The couple, who met at Brigham Young University in 2021, broke up in March 2025 but briefly reunited to announce her pregnancy in May. However, in June, Aiono filed a paternity petition in Los Angeles County court seeking confirmation that Nacua was the father of her unborn child, requesting full physical custody and coverage of pregnancy expenses. Nacua requested genetic testing to verify paternity. Their son, Kingston, was born in October 2025, and the pair are now co-parenting while remaining separated.
Sweeney, 28, has been in the spotlight recently for launching her own lingerie line and promoting upcoming projects. Her boyfriend, music manager Scooter Braun, 44, has reportedly expressed frustration over professional athletes frequently sliding into her direct messages on social media, calling the advances “incredibly disrespectful.” Sources say Sweeney ignores and blocks the senders, but the persistent messages have become a point of tension. Nacua, entering his fourth NFL season after a breakout rookie year in 2023, appears to be highlighting his adventurous side — though it’s unclear if Sweeney has responded.
Social media users were quick to chime in with a mix of humor, support and memes. One popular reply from user @ShoGotNow joked, “Puk this ain’t what Sean meant when he told you to hit the jugs machine this offseason,” referencing Rams coach Sean McVay. It racked up over 9,400 likes.
ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky showed enthusiasm, posting “Let’s go Puka” with nearly 10,000 likes. Another user, @PardonMyMeme, shared a video meme captioned “Puka thanks for teaching me everything I know about skydiving while we were mountain climbing,” earning more than 10,800 likes.
Some reactions poked fun at the pairing. User @ryanmalin_ posted a meme asking “what’s the opposite of this meme?” alongside an image implying mismatched expectations, drawing 4,100 likes. Meanwhile, @JaredBrehm shared a video quipping “All of us in the comments right now,” which received 2,400 likes.
Not all feedback was lighthearted. On Reddit, one fan cautioned, “Please stay away from sky diving Puka, your too important to risk,” amid concerns over player safety.
The flirtation comes as Nacua prepares for the Rams’ upcoming season, while Sweeney continues her rise in Hollywood. Neither has commented further on the exchange.
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