Vanderbilt’s shocking upset win over Alabama was so stunning that emotions were understandably running high afterwards. Alabama safety Malachi Moore saw his blood run particularly hot as he had an outburst directed at Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia.
Moore was seen grabbing Pavia’s head and slamming it into the ground after Pavia ran for a game-sealing first-down. A tiny scrum ensued but the teams quickly got back to their sides of the field – but not before the clip went viral with countless fans calling Moore out for his behavior.
Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer has stated that Moore won’t be suspended for his actions. But what does Pavia think of the whole thing?
Apparently, Moore reached out to Pavia personally to apologize. Speaking to the media on Tuesday, he revealed that Moore reached out to him via Instagram and explained that he just wants to win at all costs. Pavia praised Moore for being a “special player” with a bright future and wishes him nothing but the best.
“He reached out to me on Instagram and texted me,” Pavia said. “He apologized for what he did. I can respect that. I respect him, he’s a great football player. He wants to win at all costs. That’s things we need on our football team here at Vanderbilt.
“That guy is a special player, he made a lot of tackles, made a lot of plays. The future is bright for him. I wish him nothing but success, God Bless him. Everyone makes mistakes but nobody should hold that over his head. He’s a great player and he’s going to be great for Alabama.”
It’s all good between Diego Pavia & Malachi Moore after the Alabama DB shoved the Vanderbilt QB post-play last weekend: pic.twitter.com/V0DGDOS2TE
— Paul Finebaum (@finebaum) October 9, 2024
Pavia is certainly far more forgiving than the wider college football world.
Do you think Moore should have been punished more?
Related: Alabama Football Player Apologized To Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia For His Behavior