Diego Pavia heard the noise. He also made sure plenty of people heard him.
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The Vanderbilt quarterback stirred things up after the Heisman Trophy ceremony when Indiana's Fernando Mendoza won the award, with Pavia finishing second. In the moment, Pavia lashed out at the voters with a profanity-laced message that quickly made the rounds. Now, he is walking it back.
"Being a part of the Heisman ceremony as a finalist was such an honor," Pavia said in a message posted to social media. "As a competitor, I wanted to win. To be so close to my dream and come up short was painful. I didn't handle those emotions well and didn't represent myself the way I wanted to. I apologize for being disrespectful. It was a mistake."
The initial outburst was aimed at the three voting groups that decide the Heisman: media members, former winners and fans, who share one collective vote.
Pavia received 189 first-place votes, well behind Mendoza's 643. Mendoza, widely viewed as the No. 2 overall prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft behind Oregon quarterback Dante Moore, is expected to declare early.
Pavia's path looks different. Despite a breakout season, he is not considered a top-tier NFL prospect and currently sits outside Mel Kiper's top ten quarterbacks for the class.
That perspective has shaped Pavia's edge.
"I've been doubted my whole life," he said. "Nothing has been handed to me. My family, teammates and coaches have always had my back, and I wouldn't want anything to distract from that."
Pavia praised Mendoza and fellow finalists and said his focus has shifted to finishing strong. He will do that in the ReliaQuest Bowl, one last ride with a Vanderbilt team that surprised plenty of people.
After four college seasons, including stops at New Mexico State and Vanderbilt, Pavia finished 2025 with 3,192 passing yards, 27 touchdowns, eight interceptions and nine rushing scores.
Loud message. Quiet apology. One more game to play.
