Samson And Kai Nacua Both Find End Zone For Michigan In UFL’s Week One
Mar 30, 2025, 1:48 PM

DETROIT, MICHIGAN - APRIL 14: Kai Nacua #21 of the Michigan Panthers celebrates an interception against the Houston Roughnecks during the second quarter in the game at Ford Field on April 14, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images for UFL)
(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images for UFL)
MEMPHIS – In the Michigan Panthers’ week one game against the Memphis Showboats, both Samson and Kai Nacua scored a touchdown in a 26-12 win.
Samson Nacua scored the first offensive touchdown of the game for the Panthers in the third quarter off of a hitch route.
BOOM!! 💪
Perkins to Samson Nacua for the TD!!#LetsHunt pic.twitter.com/k1rgL95sdj
— Michigan Panthers (@USFLPanthers) March 30, 2025
He turned around the incoming safety and darted 25 yards for the touchdown to make the score 17-6.
Fast forward to the final minutes of the game, Memphis scored a late touchdown to drop the lead to eight and got the ball back shortly after.
Set up outside the red zone, the Memphis quarterback was under heavy pressure and threw up a prayer to the right sideline. Kai Nacua jumped the route and took it all the way back for six.
KAI NACUA PICK 6!!!!! pic.twitter.com/p7okWXIVH8
— Michigan Panthers (@USFLPanthers) March 30, 2025
The defensive score served as the nail in the coffin for a dominant Panther’s week one win.
Michigan will return home to host the Birmingham Stallions at Ford Field on Friday, April 4, at 6:00 p.m. MT. The game will be broadcast on FOX.
About The Nacua Brothers
Kai Nacua
Before his professional career, the Las Vegas, Nevada product was a safety at BYU from 2013-16.
During his four seasons with the Cougars, Nacua recorded 165 total tackles, 117 solo tackles, 8.0 tackles for loss, 14 interceptions, and two touchdowns. He played in 38 games at BYU.
After his college career, Nacua went undrafted in 2017 and signed a free agent deal with the NFL’s Cleveland Browns. Nacua played in the NFL from 2017-2022. He spent time with the Browns, Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, Indianapolis Colts, San Francisco 49ers, and New York Jets. Nacua joined the Panthers in 2023 when the team was still in the USFL.
He is the oldest of the Nacua brothers.
Samson Nacua
The Provo, Utah native played the first four seasons of his college career at the University of Utah. After playing for the Utes from 2017-20, Nacua transferred to BYU for his final collegiate season.
During his lone season with the Cougars, Nacua had 21 catches for 329 yards and three touchdowns. He also had seven carries for 29 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
Nacua finished his college career with 103 receptions for 1,344 yards and 15 total touchdowns.
After going undrafted in the 2022 NFL Draft, Nacua signed with the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent. However, he didnt make it to the regular season as he was released during final roster cuts.
He went on to play with the USFL’s Pittsburgh Maulers and UFL’s Michigan Panthers before returning to the NFL with the New Orleans Saints in August 2024. He returned to the Panthers squad for the 2025 UFL season.
Chandler Holt is a co-host of the Jazz Notes podcast, a Locals In The NFL Insider, and Digital Sports Producer for KSLSports.com. Follow Chandler on X for Utah Jazz and Locals In The NFL updates.
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