As the 2026 NFL Draft approaches, former LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier is facing scrutiny regarding his final collegiate season. Following a 2024 campaign marked by flashes of brilliance and occasional turnovers, expectations were high for Nussmeier heading into 2025.
However, a significant core injury derailed his showcase year. Rather than sitting out to heal and protect his draft stock, Nussmeier made the controversial decision to play through the pain. Now, while meeting with professional franchises, he is defending that choice, framing his compromised season as a testament to his competitive spirit rather than a failure.
How Garrett Nussmeier Explains His 2025 Injury to NFL Teams
The decision to remain on the field drew criticism from analysts who questioned the wisdom of playing a quarterback who was visibly struggling. Yet, Nussmeier harbors no regrets.
Addressing his pre-draft meetings with NFL front offices in an interview with SiriusXM, he clarified that his loyalty to his teammates superseded any outside noise or criticism.
“It didn’t matter what I had going on, I was going to go out there and play,” Nussmeier stated. “I think that’s one of the things that I’m most proud of throughout my time at LSU… the fact that I just fought through that, you know I couldn’t even throw the football and I still did everything I could to try and compete on Saturdays.”
He emphasized that his game tape clearly demonstrates his unwavering toughness. “I bring that point up a lot in these meetings with teams and explain that to them. It’s very evident on tape that I couldn’t throw the ball but I still played. I’m a competitor. I want to win. I want to be there for my guys.”
Despite his resilience, Nussmeier openly acknowledges the profound disappointment of his 2025 campaign. His frustration stems primarily from the inability to demonstrate the immense strides he made during the offseason. After diligently working to correct his previous errors, the injury tragically masked his improvements.
“I’m a competitor, I wanted to win, I wanted to be there for my guys”
LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier on battling thru injuries in 2025 and why he believes his best football is still ahead of him.
📻 https://t.co/ROaoooKTca@LSUfootball I @Garrettnuss13 I @JacobHester18 pic.twitter.com/lJCLh600A5
— SiriusXM NFL Radio (@SiriusXMNFL) April 9, 2026
“The most frustrating part for me personally was that I felt like I had grown so much from my mistakes in ’24 going into ’25, the turnovers and the decision making,” he explained. “I felt like I was getting ready to show the finished product that I had been working on for the last five years and I was that confident that I was ready for it. The frustrating thing is I wasn’t able to show it because of the injury.”
PFSN’s CFB QB Impact metric shows the drop in production from Nussmeier from 2024 to 2025. In 2024, he ranked 12th in college football with a score of 81.6, earning a B-. The 2025 injury helped drop his ranking to 110th overall, with a score of 75.9 and a grade of C.
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“I want them to know that the ’24 me is still me but I’ve gotten better,” Nussmeier said he feels compelled to explain. “I tell them, ‘I’m still that gunslinger, that guy that can make any throw. But I’ve also gotten so much better in the mental aspect.’ That’s what I just need my opportunity to prove.”
As Nussmeier transitions to the professional ranks, his primary objective is to convince NFL evaluators that his 2025 tape does not represent his true capabilities. He wants teams to see the resilient leader who battled through adversity, trusting that his refined mental processing remains intact.
