Texas TE Gunnar Helm Shares Photo of Painful Injury He Endured During Combine Drills

This had to hurt.

Gunnar Helm during the 2025 NFL combine. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Texas tight end Gunnar Helm was not the biggest, smallest, fastest or slowest player at the NFL combine Saturday—but he nonetheless had a day unlike any other player.

It started as Helm lined up to run the 40-yard dash Saturday in Indianapolis. He was called for a false start out of the gate and immediately pulled up hobbling.

No matter—Helm ran a 4.93 to start, 4.84 to finish, and completed every remaining drill. Only afterward did an MRI reveal that he had sprained his right ankle.

On Sunday afternoon, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport shared a painful-looking photo of Helm's injured foot.

Here is a crazy Combine story: #Texas TE Gunnar Helm twisted his ankle on his false start on the 40-yard dash, then finished all the drills anyway. Said nothing until it was over. Had an MRI on Saturday to reveal a sprain. And will run again at his Pro Day. The pics are… yikes. pic.twitter.com/fi9Uus2ASa

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 2, 2025

Helm, per Rapoport, will run the 40-yard dash again at the Longhorns' Pro Day on March 26.

The Englewood, Colo. native caught 60 passes—fifth-most in the SEC—for 786 yards and seven touchdowns for Texas this past season, helping the Longhorns win a CFP first-round game and the Peach Bowl before falling to Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl.

---

More of the Latest Around College Football

feed