By Fabian Lornspice

Los Angeles Rams’ star receiver Puka Nacua has been making the rounds on X recently for some bizarre antics alongside famed internet streamer Adin Ross, one of several personalities recognized by Trump in his election victory speech. As the Rams prepare to face one of their toughest matchups of the year against the Seattle Seahawks, Nacua has been spotted on-stream with Ross and other Gen Z streamers playing arcade games, eating burritos, and practicing a “Covetous Jew” touchdown celebration. On top of this, he attempted to bring the live stream into the Rams’ clubhouse—a move promptly shut down by head coach Sean McVay. 

Nacua has already caught criticism from teammates in recent weeks for live-streaming in the locker room surrounded by other unclothed players, a fairly obvious faux pas among professional athletes. What is behind this obnoxious behavior from one of the League’s most talented rising stars? The answer lies in the intersection between ‘Zoomerism’ and the possible onset of ‘WR1 Disease,’ an affliction that is almost ubiquitous among the NFL’s top receivers. 

Among chronically-online Gen Z’ers conditioned by social media from a young age, virtues like privacy may be increasingly foreign and antiquated concepts. Before the days of social media, a standout athlete would probably be one of the most popular kids in school. In some cases, they might even find themselves in the local paper, in a short segment on the evening news, or even generating buzz in neighboring counties. Today, nearly all Zoomers are conditioned by social pressures to build a virtual ‘brand’ around their personality. This ‘brand’ is then presented to a social media attention marketplace that reaches far beyond their local community. This is especially true for star athletes seeking to build national recognition. 

Today, one has to imagine that by high school, athletes like Nacua are in front of a camera nearly every day of their lives. This camera presence goes far beyond interviews—it is common for Zoomers to ‘go live’ at practices, while out to eat, and even in their bedrooms. Within this lifestyle, it’s easy for some of life’s modesties to be eclipsed in the pursuit of viewership. For many Zoomers, attention and virality are the highest forms of social currency. This fundamental Zoomerism paves the way for a wide range of erratic behaviors.

As for ‘WR1 Disease,’ case studies like Antonio Brown, Odell Beckham Jr., and A.J. Brown provide insights into the mysterious illness. Also known as ‘diva syndrome,’ the condition usually arises in a player’s early to mid-twenties, and is accompanied by several co-morbid factors. The primary factor is a sharp uptick in media attention, usually following a highlight play or a playoff run. This creates a dopamine dependence in the player that leaves them seeking new sources of attention off the field. This usually amplifies other risk factors in players who recently signed a lucrative contract or began dating an Instagram model. 

Interestingly, the disease seems to mostly befall more handsome receivers, particularly those with gonial angles between 110-125° and a positive canthal tilt. These are features that are associated with more striking masculine appearance, and are quite apparent—even exaggerated—in Nacua’s facial morphology. Other WR1’s such as Nico Collins, Terry McLaurin, and Mike Evans have comparable talent to the league’s top divas, but are generally considered to be less handsome. Among these less handsome players, many have only suffered temporary bouts of WR1 Disease, while others have avoided it altogether. While studies have not yet proven a link, it is worth noting this potential connection between attractiveness and diva-like symptoms. 

Fate seems to have stacked the cards against Nacua, condemning him to a career of drama and public spectacle. However, fans of his should hold out hope that he may overcome this fate. There is still hope that Nacua may learn to manage his condition, following in the footsteps of older stars like Stefon Diggs, a player who survived many seasons as a notorious diva, but matured into a leadership role on his current team. As this story develops, we will continue to monitor his progress.