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Colin Cowherd Not Happy With Puka Nacua's Retirement Announcement

Originally posted on The Spun | By Kameron Duncan | Last updated Mar 25, 2025 3:44 PM ET

Los Angeles Rams star wide receiver Puka Nacua shocked NFL fans with a recent announcement, revealing that he already knows when he plans to retire.

"I know I want to retire at the age of 30," Nacua said on the "Join the Lobby" podcast.

"I'm 23 right now, 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."

Donald, Nacua's former teammate, retired after 10 seasons at the age of 32. Nacua is off to a great start to his career after two seasons, but it appears that he's only ready to play for seven more years.

One prominent sports commentator reacted to Nacua's announcement, and he wasn't happy with the star wide receiver.

"Don't love it," said FOX Sports' Colin Cowherd on "The Herd."

"NFL general managers, they're not looking for work-life balance. They don't care. They want you to be obsessed. And I think it actually puts a light on Puka.

.@ColinCowherd doesn’t love Puka Nacua saying he wants to retire early pic.twitter.com/kLTrxZYdXd
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) March 25, 2025

What if, next year, he's got more than a few drops? He misses a couple games in a row? Maybe he's just protecting his body over team. You introduce questions you don't need to introduce."

Cowherd explained that the NFL is a results-based business, and that Nacua's personal feelings won't prevent the expectations of coaches and front offices.

"Nobody's looking for humanity," Cowherd said. "They're looking for 18, 19 games. 120 catches playing hurt. That's what they're looking for. You gotta play hurt, this is not baseball."

INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 08: Puka Nacua #17 and Cooper Kupp #10 of the Los Angeles Rams look on during the second quarter of a game against the Buffalo Bills at SoFi Stadium on December 08, 2024 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)Harry How/Getty Images

Nacua played in all 17 games as a rookie, but played in 11 this season. He still managed to catch 79 passes for 990 yards - leading the Rams in both categories. He also had three receiving touchdowns last season, which was third behind Cooper Kupp and Demarcus Robinson.

Nacua still has a lot of football left, even if he does decide to retire at 30. We've seen some of the brightest stars in league history retire early to prioritize life after football. Some, like Calvin Johnson and Barry Sanders, have even been elected to the Hall of Fame.

We'll see if Nacua follows through on his promise to leave the game at age 30, and if Cowherd finds an appreciation for the young wide receiver thinking about his life after football.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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