The final day of preseason Week 3 is here and the NFL regular season is just two weeks away. With the Tennessee Titans and New Orleans Saints facing off, each team’s depth players are getting one last chance at securing a roster spot.
On the Saints’ side of things, Puka Nacua’s brother, Samson Nacua, found his way into the spotlight with a massive field goal return.
NFL World Reacts to Samson Nacua’s Massive Field Goal Return
With the Titans leading the Saints 13-10 just ahead of halftime, the Titans were looking to add on with a long, 58-yard field goal. However, when that kick came up short, Nacua was under it and ready to return it. He caught the ball, made a handful of Titans miss, and took it all the way to the end zone, where he thought he had a touchdown.
Samson Nacua almost took the missed field goal back 107 yards, but stepped out at the 3 yard line 🤯pic.twitter.com/Rc4lvOAP8S
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) August 25, 2024
Ultimately, though, Nacua had stepped out at the three-yard line, and halftime ensued with no score. That doesn’t change the fact that he almost recreated the infamous kick-six as he took it 106 yards.
“So close, but Samson is still easily a top-2 Nacua,” Underdog NFL said on X (formerly known as Twitter).
“Samson Nacua (Yes, Puka’s brother) just had the highlight of the preseason,” said Deadspin.
Who Is Samson Nacua?
Samson Nacua, the older brother of Puka Nacua, was born in Las Vegas on Jan. 20, 1998. At 26 years old, he was finally given an NFL opportunity with the Saints this offseason.
Before his college career began, he attended Timpview High School. From there, he committed to the Utah Utes, where he was from 2016-20. During his time in Salt Lake City, Utah, he caught 82 passes for 1,015 yards and 11 touchdowns. He then transferred to BYU in 2021, the same year Puka transferred in from Washington.
In his one season with BYU, Samson caught 21 passes for 329 yards and three touchdowns. He also had seven rushing attempts for 29 yards and one more touchdown. Puka, on the other hand, had 43 receptions for 805 yards and six touchdowns plus 14 rushing attempts for 148 yards. Samson entered the NFL Draft following his final year of eligibility.
After initially going undrafted, the Indianapolis Colts brought him in as an undrafted free agent in 2022, letting him stick around through training camp. At 6’3″ and 206 pounds, he had some intrigue. However, he finished the preseason with two receptions for 26 yards and one touchdown.
Jack Coan to Samson Nacua for the @Colts TD!
📱: Stream #DETvsIND on NFL+ https://t.co/wdgAWXJg5i pic.twitter.com/bnyEsamAT8
— NFL (@NFL) August 20, 2022
Will Nacua Make the Saints’ 53-Man Roster?
After the Saints began dealing with some wide receiver injuries in training camp, they opted to bring in Nacua. So far, he’s caught two passes for 19 yards but has impressed at times throughout practices.
According to Samson, he spent time with both Puka and Cooper Kupp training earlier this offseason. “I was out here with Puka. Puka and Cooper Kupp were allowing me the opportunity to train with those guys. I was out running around with them before they went into camp,” Samson said.
SEE MORE: New Orleans Saints Depth Chart
“Sometimes you don’t always get the look you want to, but it’s just about staying ready,” he said of how his first training camp experience went with the Colts. “And whenever the opp[ortunity] does come, all the work you’ve put in, hopefully, it comes to light.”
When looking at the Saints’ depth chart, Nacua will be competing with a handful of names if he wants to take one of the spots on the roster. Equanimeous St. Brown, Cedrick Wilson Jr., Bub Means, Kevin Austin Jr., Stanley Morgan Jr., Mason Tipton, and Shaquan Davis are all of the projected non-starting receivers currently on the roster.
If Nacua is to make the roster, it would mark the first time he’s ever gotten the chance. However, since he won’t get many snaps if he does make it, he will have to prove himself on special teams, which is exactly what he did with the near-kick-six.
Nacua’s Impressive UFL Career
When his NFL career didn’t initially work out, Nacua turned to the UFL and the Michigan Panthers.
He most recently played for the Panthers in 2024, tallying 11 receptions for 125 yards. In addition to getting to play at all, he got to play alongside his and Puka’s older brother, Kai, who also at 29 years old had spent time in the NFL in the past.