Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia has apologized for blasting voters after losing out to Fernando Mendoza in the 2025 Heisman Trophy race.
Diego Pavia had a moment. Actually, he had several. First came the Heisman hype. Then came the loss. Then came the comments. And finally, came the apology. College football fans, grab your popcorn.
The quarterback finished second to Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza in the 2025 Heisman Trophy race. That is a huge deal. Second place usually comes with praise, respect, and a nice speech about being grateful. Pavia chose a different route. He chose spice.
Being a part of the Heisman ceremony last night as a finalist was such an honor. As a competitor, just like in everything I do I wanted to win. To be so close to my dream and come up short was painful. I didn’t handle those emotions well at all and did not represent myself the…
— Diego Pavia (@diegopavia02) December 15, 2025
After losing out on the trophy, Pavia made headlines by criticizing the voters and now, he says he’s sorry for all that.
Pavia posted an Instagram story that included the phrase “F-all the voters,” followed by a message about loyalty to family. The post quickly went viral, which didn’t sit well with many supporters.
Pavia later addressed the situation in a statement on social media, calling his actions “disrespectful” and acknowledging he let emotions get the better of him.
According to Diego Pavia;
“Being a part of the Heisman ceremony last night as a finalist was such an honor,” Pavia wrote. “As a competitor, just like in everything I do, I wanted to win. To be so close to my dream and come up short was painful. I didn’t handle those emotions well at all and did not represent myself the way I wanted to.”
“Fernando Mendoza is an elite competitor and a deserving winner of the award,” Pavia wrote. “I have nothing but respect for his accomplishments.”
At the end of the day, second place in the Heisman race is elite company. Plenty of legends never even got close. Pavia’s season will be remembered long after the tweets fade away.
Lesson learned. Feel your feelings. Vent in private. And never argue with voters who hold trophies.
