The conversations inside locker rooms sometimes take years to properly become a matter of record. Professional athletes take the privacy of that space seriously. Back in the day, these rumors used to come to light through retirement memoirs, investigative journalism, or tell-all interviews. But today’s age of social media has made this process a bit faster.

The former Vanderbilt QB, after going undrafted in the 2026 NFL Draft, suffered another hit in July. The Baltimore Ravens decided to waive the rookie quarterback ahead of the training camp, and some reports are alleging it was a combination of talent gap and behavior mismatch.

“There are reports going around that Diego Pavia didn’t fit well in the Baltimore Ravens locker room,” Green80 Sports reported on August 3. “He was too cocky. He felt he had already earned a spot on the team. And even though these reports are coming out, and they may or may not be true, Diego Pavia was never going to make the Baltimore Ravens. He had no chance because that quarterback room is loaded. Lamar Jackson, Snoop Huntley, Joe Fagnano, and Skylar Thompson.”

As of now this is a matter of hearsay, and should be taken as such. No one from the Baltimore staff or players would ever throw Pavia under the bus, as that is the code among athletes. But considering how Pavia has behaved in the past, it will not be too far-fetched if these matters do come to be true.

Locker room beefs have a way of finding themselves out of the private conversations and onto public discussion. The bigger the star power, the quicker it gets out. During the 2004–2005 season, rumors swirled that wide receiver Terrell Owens and quarterback Donovan McNabb were completely estranged, culminating in a locker room shouting match and Owens allegedly getting tired during Super Bowl XXXIX.

Years later, both players publicly confirmed the toxic dynamic. Owens went on various sports podcasts detailing how McNabb actively worked against him with management, while McNabb later stated that Owens’ disruptive antics completely fractured a championship-caliber locker room. Pavia is no TO, which is why it would take a bit more time before this behavior pattern of his gets fully confirmed. But until then, the speculation is strong considering 31 other teams also skipped out on a Heimsan finalist.

Pavia already had a bad rapport after he was named the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy controversy. Pavia posted a picture on Instagram captioned “F* ALL THE VOTERS”** with a thumbs-down emoji. Though he later apologized, NFL front offices were put off by his decision-making and maturity. After 2003, he was the first QB with extraordinary credentials but went undrafted.

He was originally invited to Baltimore’s rookie minicamp strictly as a tryout candidate. However, general manager Eric DeCosta skipped the trial process entirely, signing him to a three-year, $3.1 million contract before he even stepped onto the practice field. But a day before the camp started, he was let go.

Pavia failed to make a strong enough impression during the spring to justify carrying five quarterbacks into training camp. During mandatory minicamps, veteran quarterback Skylar Thompson put together an impressive stretch of practices, separating himself in the battle for the QB3 position. The coaching staff also preferred the developmental upside of fellow undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano, leaving Pavia completely out of the rotation.

Baltimore also signed veteran center Ethan Pocic to a one-year deal worth up to $4.5 million. Needing to clear space immediately, the front office looked at its crowded quarterback room. Pavia, an undrafted free agent who had initially joined the team on a tryout basis, was the lowest man on the totem pole. 

Because NFL rosters are strictly capped at 90 players during the offseason, the front office had to cut someone immediately to activate Pocic. As an unproven, low-ranking rookie quarterback, Pavia was the most logical casualty. 

The first try would be to get drafted in the NFL. If he remains undrafted now, Pavia could go to the CFL to redeem himself. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are actively pursuing him and are interested in drafting him. But if both of these don’t happen, then there is a chance for him to re-enter the college campus. With the new eligibility rule, Pavia could try to sue the NCAA again for granting him another year of eligibility. After all, Vanderbilt appears to be the only place that truly understood how to leverage his skills.