"That looks so painful" - NFL fans react to Texas TE Gunnar Helm powering through drills despite ankle injury

NFL fans showed their respect to Texas Longhorns tight end Gunnar Helm on social media after he went through all the NFL Combine drills while dealing with an injury. NFL insider Ian Rapoport shared on Sunday that Helm twisted his ankle on a false start on the 40-yard dash. But that didn't stop the TE from completing the rest of the drills.

"Gunnar Helm twisted his ankle on his false start on the 40-yard dash, then finished all the drills anyway," Rapoport wrote on X. "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."

"What a beast! That looks so painful," one fan said.

"Respect to him for doing the drill even (after) his ankle got twisted," another fan said.

Some fans noted that the kind of toughness that Helm displayed was valued by NFL teams. Helm's decision to complete all the drills under those circumstances could grab some attention from teams.

"That’s toughness you can’t teach," one fan said.

"Now that’s someone who is HUNGRY!! Go get it!!" another fan said.

"His workout does not look too bad now. Kind of ethic that NFL teams love," one X user wrote.

How did Gunnar Helm perform at 2025 NFL combine?

Even though he sustained an ankle injury, Gunnar Helm ran a time of 4.84 seconds in the 40-yard dash, which wasn't even the worst time among tight ends. He surpassed North Carolina's Bryson Nesbit (4.88) and Alabama's Robbie Ouzts (4.91). Terrance Ferguson of Oregon led tight ends with a 4.63-second finish.

Additionally, Helm registered a time of 1.69 seconds in his 10-yard split, a 30" vertical jump; finished the 3-cone drill in 7.15 seconds (fourth-best among tight ends) and the 20-yard shuttle in 4.4 seconds (tied for fourth-best among tight ends).

Helm was given a 6.22 prospect grade, which predicts he will "eventually be an average starter." He is coming off a decent senior season with the Texas Longhorns, posting 60 receptions for 786 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. A slow-motion video of the moment when he sustained the injury made the rounds on social media, giving fans a better perspective about how he was injured.

Gunnar Helm is expected to attempt the 40-yard dash drill again during the Longhorns' Pro Day, which should give scouts and executives a better look at what he can bring to the NFL.