“It gives me the cushion that I need to take the hits.” That was Patrick Mahomes brushing off the internet noise around his so-called “dad bod.” And honestly, Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola, aka mini-Mahomes probably needed to hear that. Because over the last few weeks, his weight has become a full-blown offseason debate. At 6’3” and 230 pounds, Raiola—the true freshman who led Nebraska back to a bowl game last season—found himself at the center of body-talk drama. Some fans questioned his mobility. Others threw jabs online. Sure, he doesn’t have a shredded six-pack, but he is coming off a year where he passed for 2,819 yards, 13 touchdowns, and ended Nebraska’s bowl drought.

The downside? Eleven interceptions. It wasn’t a perfect season. But it was enough to make Husker Nation believe they’ve got their guy. And now, with a year of experience under his belt, Raiola is out to prove he’s ready to take full command. “He’s really working on his leadership skills, taking charge,” said offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen. But even more than that, this offseason was all about one thing: getting into peak shape.

After Nebraska’s Pinstripe Bowl win over Boston College, Raiola’s offseason training took a sharp turn. Gone were the traditional quarterback workouts. In came something that resembled a Floyd Mayweather camp more than a Big Ten football program. Mornings started with intense lifting sessions, followed by a one-mile run. Evenings were all about sweating it out in the sauna. The result? When spring practice kicked off, Raiola showed up noticeably leaner, quicker, and stronger.

On the March 27th press meet, Raiola opened up about the grind: “If I’m being honest, it s–ks. I’m going to just be honest. Like, you know, it’s a constant grind every day,” he admitted. The transformation wasn’t overnight. It took weeks of pushing through soreness, frustration, and mental hurdles before anything “snapped” into place.

“Sometimes you don’t see change right away. From a physical body standpoint, it doesn’t change in a day, doesn’t change in a week, doesn’t change in two weeks, not even in three. So it’s just a consistency of staying on it and keep going,” Raiola explained. Through it all, he leaned on his support system. “I’m just grateful for our strength staff, our nutrition staff and even my dad… It’s been a team effort.”

So, what exactly did that training look like? When asked about his cardio routine, Dylan Raiola replied: “I mean I boxed every day, 6am in the winter and then I would go right into a mile after we lifted and then I come back later in the day and do 20 more minutes. So that was the winter and spring break.” He joked that it felt like some kind of boxing camp. But clearly, it worked.

“I feel amazing right now, probably the best shape I’ve ever been in… I went on spring break, came back, probably about 9 or 10 pounds lighter,” Raiola shared. Taking a short break helped his body reset after weeks of wear and tear—but the credit still goes to Nebraska’s strength and nutrition team and his dad, Dominic Raiola, the former Huskers OL.

This wasn’t just about trimming weight—it was about getting more agile, more explosive, and more in control. Raiola knew there were plays left on the field last season. Missed chances to run, especially. “I had plenty of opportunities to run last year and didn’t, so that was definitely in my head,” he said. Now? Whether it’s 3rd down, 4th down, or 1st, he’s ready to be a true dual-threat.

Matt Rhule clears the air regarding his viral comment on Dylan Raiola

But let’s not forget—Raiola’s weight became the talk of the town thanks to a viral quote from Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule. “He won’t be a great quarterback at 240 pounds,” said Rhule. That single line lit up social media with speculation that Raiola had ballooned in the offseason. But here’s the thing—he didn’t. Nebraska listed him at 230 pounds last year, and after all the training, he’s still at 230. Rhule eventually stepped in to clear the air.

Rhule set the record straight with a little frustration in his voice. “I felt really bad. I thought it was poor on some people’s part,” he said. “If you went back and listened to what I said, I said, ‘He knows he can’t be 240.’ I didn’t say he was 240. Some people ran with that, and it’s unfortunate.”

The point? Rhule wasn’t body-shaming his quarterback—he was reminding everyone that elite performance demands peak physical shape. Not a number on the scale.

“I’m very marked with how I say things. I say things in a specific way. And all I said was he knows he can’t be something,” Rhule explained. And clearly, Raiola got the message.

Now that spring practice is in full swing, Raiola’s dedication is paying off. “He’s done a really nice job with his body, and he’s continuing to do that,” said Rhule. “He’s been really, really focused this offseason on ‘I’m going to get myself to the right weight, get myself down to where I want to be.’ I think you can already see it.”

So, while the debate around Raiola’s weight swirled outside, the QB quietly went to work—and now, he’s ready to let his game do the talking. Big, strong, and locked in—Dylan Raiola’s coming for it all this season.