It only took a moment for Nyck Harbor’s 80-yard touchdown to become secondary to what happened moments later near the tunnel during South Carolina’s November game against Texas A&M. As Harbor, appearing to favor his leg, returned with a few teammates after a brief celebration, Texas DPS trooper Matthew Sliva bumped into the group, squeezed between Harbor and Oscar Adaway III, then turned back to point and yell at Harbor. The clip spread fast online, with many viewers accusing Sliva of escalating the moment unnecessarily. Six months later, the confrontation has now resulted in official “corrective action.”

“The Texas state trooper who went viral for his interaction with South Carolina football players in November faced ‘corrective action’ after an administrative investigation into the situation, records show. Officials did not suspend or fire him following the investigation.”

Following the incident, Trooper Matthew Sliva reportedly faced “corrective action” after an internal investigation found that his behavior did not align with the standards and expectations of the Texas Department of Public Safety. Officials confirmed that they completed the investigation into his conduct, but the department has not revealed the exact punishment, if any, that it handed down.

According to an email sent on April 28 by a spokesperson for the Office of General Counsel within the Texas Department of Public Safety, they completed the investigation into trooper Sliva’s behavior. Nevertheless, Texas state law classifies the results of the investigation as confidential, preventing officials from publicly disclosing the findings.

Texas’s open records law only requires authorities to release investigative documents involving law enforcement officers when the case results in formal disciplinary action, such as firing, suspension, or demotion. In its response, the DPS stated that the investigation into Sliva “did not result in disciplinary action, as defined above,” making the records confidential and exempt from public release.

Other possible disciplinary actions the DPS could have taken include a formal written reprimand, disciplinary probation, unpaid time off, or a salary reduction. Since Sliva was not fired, suspended or demoted, the department was not required to release the full investigative file.

What happened behind the scenes?

After completing an 80-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter of the game against Texas A&M, Harbor appeared to grab the back of his right leg and jogged toward a nearby tunnel. Adaway later said he saw Harbor grabbing his hamstring and figured his teammate did not want to come to an immediate stop. Adaway, along with a few South Carolina teammates, briefly followed Harbor into the tunnel to celebrate before the group started walking back toward the field.

As the players came out, Sliva was walking into the tunnel from the opposite direction. Broadcast video showed him moving between Adaway and Harbor and making contact with both players. Both players appeared to lean away to give him room before Sliva turned back, pointed toward Harbor and yelled, “Get out of there! Get out of here!” Adaway and Harbor appeared caught off guard, raising their hands in confusion. From the video, it remains unclear whether the contact was intentional or the result of a bad collision.

“The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is aware of the incident that occurred today during the Texas A&M football game,” the department said at the time. “The DPS Trooper involved was sent home from the game. Our Office of Inspector General (OIG) is also aware of the incident and will be further looking into the matter. No additional information will be released at this time.”

Sliva was relieved of his game-day assignment at Kyle Field and sent home within an hour of the incident, according to posts from Texas A&M’s university police department and Texas DPS. The Office of Inspector General’s administrative investigation began shortly after the Nov. 15 incident and lasted at least three months.

The incident quickly split the internet into two sides, as fans and analysts debated whether the trooper overstepped his authority or simply reacted in the heat of the moment. Even big names such as LeBron James and Chipper Jones weighed in. James blasted the officer and called for his suspension, writing, “That A&M cop needs to suspended! That was premeditated and corny AF!!” Chipper Jones took the opposite stance, placing the blame on the South Carolina player.

The matter also moved beyond social media. Adaway filed a criminal complaint against the trooper on Dec. 12, accusing him of assault. His attorney, B. Keith Jackson, told The Washington Post, “I do think there’s a good chance they bring charges, only because of the video that was shown across the country that shows there was an assault committed.” However, the Brazos County Attorney’s Office declined to pursue charges on Dec. 22, and the complaint is no longer active.

Adaway later said he waited until after the season to file the complaint because he “really didn’t want it to be a distraction during the season.” He also said the incident affected him beyond football, adding, “It was just a big incident for, one, my people and, two, for humankind. … It was kind of awful seeing that on national television, especially from a person with that type of authority.”

Jackson said Adaway is now focused on his pro football career, while Harbor’s father has also said his son is moving on from the incident. Still, Jackson remained frustrated with how the case was handled, arguing that Texas’ sovereign immunity protections limit legal options against state agencies and often leave attorneys with only individual claims against employees. “As defense lawyers, we’re always looking for accountability for who has allegedly wronged our client,” Jackson told The State. “When this sovereign immunity statute and the state (Texas) are working in concert with other state agencies to thwart our actions, it frustrates us. … It limits our ability to pursue action and justice.”