LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier at the 2026 Senior Bowl on Jan 29, 2026. — Alan Saunders / Steelers Now
A quarterback with a strong connection to the Pittsburgh Steelers finally has an answer to the medical concerns that plagued his 2025 season.
LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier missed significant time for the Tigers in 2025, when he was expected to take a step forward and claim a spot as one of the top quarterbacks in the 2026 NFL Draft. Instead, he struggled through a season-long back issue and is now expected to be a mid-round pick.
The son of Doug Nussmeier, the current offensive coordinator of the New Orleans Saints and a protege of Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy, Nussmeier now has an answer as to what happened to his back in 2025.
Testing done at the 2026 NFL Combine revealed a cyst on spine that was pressing on a nerve, according to a report by Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.Â
According to Pelissero, Nussmeier has not had any symptoms since before his appearance at the 2026 Senior Bowl, and if his back issues do re-surface, now that the root cause is known, he would need only a minor surgery that would cause a two-to-three week absence in order to correct the situation permanently.
That means that teams are largely not placing a long-term medical risk tag on Nussmeier. He is currently the No. 82 overall player on the NFL Mock Draft Database big board, and the No. 3 quarterback in the class, according to Steelers Now analyst Derrick Bell.
The Steelers will likely select a quarterback at some point in the 2026 NFL Draft, with 12 picks and McCarthy saying he does not mind the idea of trying to develop two young quarterbacks at the same time in 2025 sixth-round pick Will Howard and another potential rookie.
Mentioned In This Article: 2026 NFL Draft Garrett Nussmeier Pittsburgh Steelers Steelers