John Mateer saw all the memes — including those hilariously hulked-out AI-enhanced photos — of his new chiseled physique. And, as one might expect, the Oklahoma senior quarterback was a fan of it all.
“The first video that Riddell posted I thought was awesome, with the Meta glasses in the picture – I was very satisfied with the way the picture looked,” Mateer told On3 during an interview last month promoting his NIL partnership with Mizzen+Main. “I won’t lie. … I was like, ‘Dang, I look pretty good in that,’ … And I thought (the AI-altered pictures) were funny — I didn’t care, I thought it was awesome. … There was one AI where they made me built like Peyton Manning, so that was my favorite one.”
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The impetus of the offseason viral trend was a picture showing Mateer’s bulging biceps, taken during an evening throwing session at this summer’s Manning Passing Academy in late June. That prompted some artificial intelligence-adept college football fans to create even more outlandish photos of Mateer and other SEC quarterbacks with digitally enhanced muscles more suited for the Hulk of Marvel fame.
Of course, while he certainly found the memes entertaining, Mateer made clear there’s nothing artificially enhanced about his new powerhouse physique. In fact, the 22-year-old Mateer maintains he hasn’t even increased his regular weight-training regimen. It’s simply the result of natural growth, regular conditioning, and an improved diet.
“Honestly, I went into the year focusing more on my flexibility and being able to rotate and put my body into (different) positions,” Mateer said, adding that his weight has remained a svelte 224 pounds over the last calendar year. “And then getting a year older, eating right, lifting for another year, it just kind of happened. I definitely leaned down a little bit, which definitely shows the muscle more. I’m stronger, but it’s whatever, I’ll take it.”
For as impressive as his physical development has been, Mateer has been far more focused on the other less noticeable improvements made ahead of his second season as Oklahoma’s starting quarterback. That includes tweaks to a throwing motion that was severely impacted by a thumb injury to his throwing hand suffered Sept. 20 against Auburn that required surgery. Mateer famously missed just one game before returning to action Oct. 11 against bitter rival Texas — three weeks out from surgery.
Although Mateer was cleared to play, he still struggled to grip the football, forcing him to “adapt and change (his throwing) motion just to get the job done,” creating unintended mechanical issues. In effect, the Sooners quarterback used an altered side-arm motion that let him “slice” the ball through the air.
This offseason, however, Mateer has focused on thoracic mobility exercises to improve his posture and pliability. As a result, he has restored a proper over-the-top throwing motion, allowing him to release the ball faster and with more velocity than he could during his uneven 2025 season.
That offseason work, coupled with his increased strength and flexibility, has allowed Mateer to embrace greater physical freedom of movement in both his arms and legs that many hope could establish him as one of college football’s premier dual-threat quarterbacks in 2026. Throw in a copious amount of film work, including some seriously critical self-evaluation, and a revitalized Mateer is eager to kick off his final collegiate season a week from Friday, on Sept. 4 against UTEP.
“I think I’m more excited this year to play, just be able to play free,” Mateer said. “You know, when you get something taken away from you, you appreciate it a little more. That’s the same with football. And it’s the last one, so I better work.”
Along with all the work he’s put into rebuilding his mechanics and physique, Mateer will also enter the 2026 season sporting a brand-new look courtesy of his recently announced NIL partnership with Mizzen+Main. Earlier this summer, Mateer signed as Mizzen+Main‘s latest athlete ambassador to promote the popular American menswear clothing brand throughout the upcoming college football season.
“Mizzen is great. There were a couple of brands (I explored), but Mizzen was the best, it fits me real well,” Mateer said of his NIL agreement with Mizzen+Main, which includes an all-new selection of pregame suits. “I feel good when I put it on.”
Suffice it to say, whether it’s his chiseled biceps, his reconstructed throwing motion, or his newfound fashion sense courtesy of Mizzen+Main, Mateer enters his final collegiate season fully embracing Deion Sanders’ famous “look good, feel good, play good” mantra.
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