No one is ever going to question the toughness of Oklahoma football quarterback and Heisman contender John Mateer. In the Week 4 win over Auburn - which was a thriller - Mateer put on a show and he did so while also suffering a broken bone in his throwing hand.
He was able to tough things out and make the needed plays to help the Sooners post the incredible win over Hugh Freeze and the Tigers. In some not-so-great news for Oklahoma, Mateer is expected to miss 3-4 weeks, which makes him beyond doubtful for the Texas game.
Just one thing will keep Georgia from beating Alabama, and it won't be on the field
Still, give him credit for being a warrior against Auburn and he'll now look to rehab ASAP to get back on the field. In terms of his injury, the clip below appears to give us a major clue for when he exactly got hurt. Direct, awkward contact with a big-bodied pass-rusher? Yup, that'll do it:
Fairly positive that this is the play where #Sooners QB John Mateer suffered his hand injury against Auburn.
— Carson Field (@CarsonDField) September 23, 2025
You can see Mateer's hand collide with Tigers DE Keldric Faulk on the follow-through of his downfield throw.@SoonersOnSI pic.twitter.com/OtvHz4RHSv
John Mateer passionately let Oklahoma fans know his surgery was a success
That play came on the first series, with the Washington State transfer looking to throw the ball downfield. The pass fell incomplete and while Mateer was in discomfort the rest of the way, it wasn't enough pain for him to pull himself out of the action.
After the win however, Mateer could tell there was something wrong and after team doctors took a look at things, it was clear that the standout QB1 was dealing with a bit of a serious issue. On Wednesday, Dr. Steven Shin performed surgery and Mateer passionately let everyone know that things went well.
Thank God for a successful procedure. Dr. Shin is the GOAT. BOOMER SOONER!!
— John Mateer (@John_Mateer4) September 25, 2025
That quick social media post from Mateer was enough to calm plenty of nervous fans out there. The fact of the matter here is that Mateer is going to be out for a little while, but head man Brent Venables has a ton of faith in backup QB Michael Hawkins Jr.
Is the Oklahoma offense going to suffer a bit with Mateer out of action? Sure, that's obvious. However, it won't be too long before he can get back on the field and pick up where he left off. Until then, it will be the Hawkins show and he'll hope to deliver for Venables and Sooners fans.