Photo Credit: Brendall Vargas/University of Oklahoma
Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer says he has fully recovered from the hand injury that disrupted his breakout 2025 campaign and believes both his health and mindset have him ready for a stronger season.
Speaking at SEC Media Days, Mateer revealed his throwing hand has regained its strength after months of rehabilitation, allowing him to return to his natural throwing motion.
Mateer Says Hand Is Back to Full Strength
Mateer explained that the injury significantly altered the way he threw the football after surgery.
His grip strength measured just 90 shortly after doctors cleared him to play last season, but that number has since improved to 150.
“It was not strong,” Mateer said. “The range of motion, I had to change how I held the ball.”
The lingering effects forced him to compensate mechanically, making it difficult to throw with his usual velocity and accuracy.
Injury Changed Oklahoma’s Season
Mateer opened last season playing some of the best football in the country, leading Oklahoma to a 4-0 start while emerging as a Heisman Trophy favorite.
However, he fractured a bone in his throwing hand during the Sooners’ victory over Auburn, and his production dipped over the following month.
Oklahoma went 2-2 in October as Mateer completed just 58% of his passes while his rushing production also declined significantly.
Although he improved later in the season and helped the Sooners finish with four straight regular-season victories to earn a College Football Playoff berth, Mateer admitted rewatching those October performances remains difficult.
“It’s very uncomfortable to watch,” he said. “It’s being a year better.”
Focus Shifts From Awards to Team Success
After experiencing the highs and lows of last season, Mateer said his priorities have changed.
While acknowledging the opportunities that come with playing quarterback at Oklahoma, he said his primary focus is helping the Sooners return to the College Football Playoff rather than chasing individual accolades.
“You taste the playoff,” Mateer said. “That’s what I want.”
Head coach Brent Venables believes a healthy Mateer gives Oklahoma a chance to compete with anyone on its schedule.
“I just think we’re going to be a lot better around him,” Venables said. “It’s hard to throw a football consistently or down the field when he can barely squeeze it.”
With his hand fully healed and his mechanics restored, Mateer enters the 2026 season aiming to turn last year’s difficult lessons into a deeper postseason run for the Sooners.
