Dave Portnoy went after streamer Adin Ross after a livestream moment involving Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua created a lot of tension earlier. The Barstool Sports founder reacted after clips spread showing Ross teaching Nacua a touchdown dance rooted in antisemitic stereotypes.
Portnoy was quite angry. In a chat, he slammed Ross for promoting what he called a harmful and ignorant act. Portnoy accused Ross of trying to look edgy and relevant at the expense of his own community. “You’re a Jew who wants the cool kids to seem like he’s a cool Jew. Suck Kanye’s D*CK. You’re an idiot,” he said.
The controversy started during a Kick livestream with Adin Ross, Puka Nacua, and Mikyle Rafi. Ross suggested a touchdown dance he called his “Jewish” celebration. The move involved hunching over and rubbing hands together, a gesture widely linked to antisemitic stereotypes. Nacua copied the dance several times on the stream.
Nacua spoke out soon after and apologized on Instagram. He said he did not know the gesture was antisemitic at the time. “I had no idea this act was antisemitic in nature,” Nacua wrote. He added, “I deeply apologise to anyone who was offended by my actions.”
𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚: Dave Portnoy went OFF on Adin Ross for teaching Rams star WR Puka Nacua how to do an ANTISEMETIC "Jewish" touchdown dance.
"You're a Jew who wants the cool kids to seem like he's a cool Jew. Suck Kanye's D*CK. You're an idiot."
😬😬😬 pic.twitter.com/1AvjYIGbfs
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) December 25, 2025
The NFL also responded strongly. The league said it “strongly condemns all forms of discrimination and derogatory behavior.” It added that antisemitism is a serious issue and has no place in sports or society. At the same time, the league fined Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua $25,000 for separate comments about officiating. Nacua had compared referees to lawyers and suggested they make calls just to get attention on TV.
Lawmakers weighed in as well. California Congressman Eric Swalwell criticized Nacua’s actions and called for accountability. He said the receiver should “apologise or be dropped.”
Nacua did not use the celebration in Thursday night’s game against the Seahawks. He still had a huge performance, catching two touchdowns and setting a career high with 225 yards.
The play on the field moved on, but the conversation around responsibility and influence continues online.