Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua has voluntarily entered a rehabilitation facility amid the fallout from the latest off-field controversy that has threatened to overshadow one of the NFL’s brightest young stars.

According to Nacua’s attorney, Levi McCathern, the All-Pro receiver checked into a recovery centre in Malibu in early March, before the recent civil lawsuit and restraining order application stemming from allegations made by Madison Atiabi became public.

“He was in (rehab) a substantial period of time before any of these allegations broke … and he’s scheduled to be there for a while longer,” McCathern said.

The latest development follows Gridiron’s recent coverage of the legal action brought against Nacua, in which the Rams receiver was accused of making an antisemitic remark and later biting a woman during a New Year’s Eve dinner in Los Angeles.

Nacua, through his legal team, has denied the allegations ‘in the strongest possible terms’, while acknowledging the physical contact as what his attorney has described as ‘horseplay’.

The move to enter rehab is being framed by Nacua’s camp as proactive rather than reactive, with McCathern claiming that the 24-year-old is using the offseason ‘to improve his overall behaviour in every aspect of his life’, but stressing that the receiver is expected to complete the programme in time for the Rams’ organised team activities later this spring.

That timing is significant for a Rams organisation now facing difficult questions around one of its cornerstone players. At the league meetings earlier this week, head coach Sean McVay confirmed the franchise has been aware of the New Year’s Eve incident for several months and is still gathering information.

“But, man, you guys know, I trust this kid’s heart,” McVay said. “Love him, put your arm around him, want to continue to help him grow and really get all the appropriate facts before I kind of rush to judgment on that particular situation.”

That public backing from McVay feels notable as, rather than distancing the club from its star receiver, the Rams appear to be taking a measured position and reserving judgment until all facts are established. The former fifth-round pick led the NFL with 129 receptions last season, posting 1,715 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns as the Rams reached the NFC Championship Game, and is also eligible for a contract extension this offseason, a point that now adds another layer of intrigue to the story that seemingly accelerated only months earlier when Nacua apologised for performing a gesture on a livestream that was widely criticised as invoking antisemitic tropes.