Injury didn’t allow Nussmeier to use core in 2025

David Leong-Imagn Images

The quotes in this story come from Garrett Nussmeier’s interview with Jacob Hester and Matt Flynn on Off the Bench from The Senior Bowl in Mobile.

By Hunt Palmer

Garrett Nussmeier‘s senior season was grounded before it started.

The nagging August abdominal issue continued through September and into October before it finally cost him the final month of the season. This week at The Senior Bowl in Mobile, Nussmeier is looking to show NFL organizations that he’s recovered and back to the passer who topped 4,000 yards in 2024.

“I feel good. It’s been a long process trying to get healthy,” Nussmeier said. “We were really able to get some answers. Probably about a month ago was the first time we were able to figure out what it was. Finally got a good plan to try and get healthy, so it was a gametime decision to see if I would be able to come out here.”

So, what was the issue?

“I couldn’t use my core,” Nussmeier said. “So, I was throwing the ball without a core. I’ve been having to go back from the ground up and retrain myself and get back to finishing throws and rotating through the ball. I’m actually using my core now. It’s been nice. The ball is definitely coming out a lot different.”

Nussmeier finished his final collegiate season completing 67.4 percent of his throws for 1927 yards and 12 touchdowns. His yards per game average slipped from 311.7 to 214.1. He just wasn’t the same player.

Though he insists he’s not out to “prove anything”, The Senior Bowl offers a great opportunity for him to prove himself in the meeting rooms and on the practice field where some of the best prospects in the spring’s draft will be competing.

“When I was able to say, hey, I can go, full go, it’s a great opportunity for me,” Nussmeier said. “One, I grew up watching the Senior Bowl. My dad played in the Senior Bowl 30 years ago or something like that, back in the dinosaur age. To get that opportunity is really cool.”

Kickoff from Mobile is set for 1:30 on Saturday, and the game will be broadcast on NFL Network.