Malachi Moore Out for ReliaQuest Bowl Due to Season-Long Injury

Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer announced that the co-captain and defensive back will miss his final game of eligibility against Michigan due to a surgery he's getting for a lingering injury.

Nov 30, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide defensive back Malachi Moore (13) celebrates after a play against the Auburn Tigers during the second quarter at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Will McLelland-Imagn Images / Will McLelland-Imagn Images

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— Alabama co-captain and safety Malachi Moore will not be playing in the ReliaQuest Bowl due to an undisclosed injury, head coach Kalen DeBoer announced during Wednesday’s press conference.

DeBoer explained that Moore’s dealt with this injury for a while and that he’s getting surgery.

"He's been going through an injury pretty much for a lot of the season and it just got to the point where he wasn't going to be able to play [against Michigan]," DeBoer said. "He's actually having surgery today. He wanted to do everything he could to get out there, was trying to wait it out to possibly be something he's able to participate in. Probably the biggest thing I'll say is that he just grinded through the year with it. It's not something that's been recent, it's been ongoing.

"Hats off to how much he loves this place, how bad he wanted to be out on the field each and every Saturday and how bad he wanted to be out there with these guys and finish off his career. Love that kid to death and he has a bright future in everything he does. He brought a lot of passion, want-to, desire and a lot of things the rest of our team took from him and learned along the way."

This means that the Iron Bowl, which Moore went 5-0 in, was his last game in a crimson and white uniform as he’s in his final year of college eligibility and accepted his invitation to the Senior Bowl with hopes of being selected in the 2025 NFL Draft.

This was perhaps Moore’s best season as he was third on the Crimson Tide in tackles with 70, led Alabama in pass breakups with eight and also tied for a team-high with linebacker Jihaad Campbell in forced fumbles with two. Each of these three statistics were career highs for Moore.

Additionally, the honors and accolades back up his performance this season as so far he’s been named to the Sporting News All-America Second Team, AP All-America Second Team, AFCA All-American Second Team, Coaches All-SEC First Team and the AP All-SEC Second Team.

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