Gunnar Helm twisted ankle at NFL Combine, NFL insider reveals extent of nasty injury after MRI

Gunnar Helm didn’t necessarily blow anybody away with his performance during Friday’s tight end workouts at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine. And now we know why.

NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport revealed the former Texas tight end severely sprained his right ankle during a false start on the 40-yard dash Friday, and still managed to complete all the available drills. Helm then underwent a MRI on Saturday after the ankle started to swell, revealing the sprain.

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

Not that it’s going to stop him from participating at Texas‘ Pro Day on March 26, according to Rapoport.

After suffering the sprained ankle, Helm posted a 4.84-second run in the 40-yard dash to rank 12th among the 14 tight ends to run the event Friday, including a group-worst 1.69 10-yard split. Helm also posted the worst vertical jump (30-inches), but did manage to finish fourth overall in both the 3-cone drill (7.15 seconds) and the 20-yard shuttle (4.40 seconds).

Helm now has three weeks to rest his ankle in hopes of improving on those times at the Longhorns’ Pro Day even on March 26 in Austin.

Helm established himself as one of former Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers‘ favorite targets in 2024, leading the Longhorns with 60 total receptions for 786 yards and seven touchdowns.

Gunnar Helm promises Arch Manning will ‘live up to the hype’ at Texas

The hype around Texas quarterback Arch Manning continues to percolate as the former No. 1 overall recruit in 2023 begins to embrace his new position as the Longhorns’ QB1.

But as far as NFL-bound former Texas tight end Gunnar Helm, the much-ballyhooed nephew of Eli and Peyton Manning will more than “live up to hype” in Austin.

“To be honest with you, I think he’s going to live up to the hype, absolutely,” Helm said Thursday morning during a media availability at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, according to KVUE reporter Anne-Parker Coleman. “He’s one of my good buddies off the field, and just coming with what he’s come through, his whole life has been football. So when he really has a chance to open up off the field, I think he turns a lot of people’s heads. He’s not what a lot of people expect him to be. He’s very open if he gets comfortable around you.”

One reason for Helm’s confidence in Manning is how he’s reportedly already asserted himself as a team leader inside the Texas locker room this offseason. And his familiar Manning self-effacing personality doesn’t hurt either.

“On the field, he’s really fallen into that leadership role, as he needs to be, and I know a lot of the guys are pulling for him and super excited to play alongside him,” Helm added.

This report will be updated.