The Los Angeles Rams just made wide receiver Puka Nacua very happy.
On Wednesday, the Rams acquired All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie from the Kansas City Chiefs in a blockbuster that netted Kansas City a 2026 first-round pick (No. 29), a fifth-round pick, a sixth-round pick, and a 2027 third-round pick. Soon after, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that the Rams plan to sign McDuffie to an extension “soon” that will “likely” make him the league’s highest-paid cornerback.
While Kansas City’s two-time MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes was sad to see McDuffie go after winning two Super Bowl rings together, Nacua responded with a sunglasses emoji. By itself, that’s an expected reaction from a player after his team acquires a premier player. But Nacua quote-tweeted his post from Nov. 2, 2019, that said, “22!!!!! I see you Trent.”
It won’t be the first time Nacua lines up against McDuffie in practice.
In 2019, Nacua and McDuffie were freshman teammates at the University of Washington. Nacua played for the Huskies in 2019 and 2020 before transferring to BYU for the 2021 and 2022 seasons, while McDuffie spent his entire three-year collegiate career at Washington.
Now, Nacua and McDuffie have a legitimate chance to win a Super Bowl together next season.
The Rams came up just short of Super Bowl LX by losing 31-27 to the eventual champion Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship Game.
Los Angeles fell short of its Super Bowl aspirations largely because its secondary fell apart down the stretch. McDuffie immediately improves that unit, while the Rams offense figures to be just as explosive in 2026.
Nacua had an all-time season in 2025. The 24-year-old All-Pro receiver led the NFL with 129 catches and hauled in 1,715 yards - second only to the Seahawks’ Jaxson Smith-Njigba’s 1793 - and 10 touchdowns. Nacua also led the NFL with 80 catches that went for a first down and 107.2 yards per game.
While accepting the 2025 NFL MVP, 38-year-old quarterback Matthew Stafford confirmed his plans to return for at least one more year, which means the Rams are the most win-now team in the NFL. Trading for McDuffie reflects that.
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