Garrett Nussmeier's final season with LSU football was a trying one as he dealt with injuries that affected his performance and comfortability.
During his time at the NFL Scouting Combine back in February, the former LSU quarterback reportedly received news on why he experienced some of the issues with his torso last football season.
According to the NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, Nussmeier underwent tests at the combine that showed a cyst on a spine. The cyst pressed on a nerve and was the main cause for the pain and discomfort he battled through most of last year.
GARRETT NUSSMEIER ON INJURY AT LSU LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier opens up at Senior Bowl about injury
At LSU's Pro Day last month, Nussmeier went through an extension throwing workout in front of NFL scouts and looked good. After his session, he declined to share any specifics about his injury.
"It's a freak deal," Nussmeier said then. "I'm feeling pretty good getting back to being myself. It has been a long process of trying to do that but I feel great."
Former LSU head coach Brian Kelly and Nussmeier told local reporters back before the 2025 season that he injured himself in practice a couple of weeks before the Tigers' season opener at Clemson last August.
After a number of weeks while playing through the condition, Nussmeier supposedly was back to full health after LSU's off week and after the Alabama game, then interim head coach Frank Wilson said Nussmeier "reinjured" his abdominal during practice before the Arkansas game.
"We never really fully knocked it out," Nussmeier told reporters at the Reese's Senior Bowl last December. "On the play when I decided I can't do this, I was throwing a front-side shallow. Immediately after I threw it, I bent over in pain.
"At that point, I knew if I can't throw a front-side shallow, I'm not effective. I can't help my team win. It wasn't really a decision I had to make to not play. It was forced upon me."
Nussmeier missed the final three regular season games of his senior year. Then backup quarterback Michael Van Buren assumed the starting role and led LSU to a 2-2 record in those three games plus the loss to Houston in the Texas Bowl.
During the leadup workouts and training to the 2026 NFL Draft, Pelissero reported Monday that Nussmeier has been asymptomatic and if he were to experience pain and discomfort down the line, he could have a minimally invasive surgery done that would only have his recovering and out for two to three weeks while the stitches were to heal.
The former LSU QB is projected to a be third to fourth round draft pick in this week's NFL Draft, which is being held in Pittsburgh and runs Thursday through Saturday.
Cory Diaz covers the LSU Tigers for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his Tigers coverage on Twitter: @ByCoryDiaz. Got questions regarding LSU athletics? Send them to Cory Diaz at bdiaz@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Former LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier has cyst on his spine | Report