Former Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon has reached a civil settlement agreement with Amelia Molitor, the student he punched in the face nearly three years ago, resulting in his being suspended for the 2014 season.
Mixon, who set Oklahoma’s single-season record for all-purpose yards this season and has since declared for the NFL Draft, and Molitor released a joint statement Friday.
“I’m thankful Mia and I were able to talk privately,” Mixon said. “I was able to apologize to her one-to-one. The way I reacted that night, that’s not me. That’s not the way I was raised. I think she understands that. Talking together helps move us past what happened. I know I have to keep working to be a better person, and this is another step in that direction.”
Last December, Mixon’s lawyers released video from July 25, 2014 that showed Mixon punching Molitor after she pushed him in a restaurant. Molitor suffered a broken jaw and cheekbone as a result.
“I am happy we were able to bring the lawsuit to an end,” Molitor said in the statement. “Joe and I were able to meet privately, without any attorneys, and talk about our experiences since that night. I am encouraged that we will both be able to move forward from here with our lives. From our private discussions I am satisfied that we are going to put this behind us and work towards helping others who may have found themselves in similar circumstances. I greatly appreciate his apology, and I think the feelings he expressed were sincere. We both could have handled things differently. I believe if we had a chance to go back to that moment in time, the situation would not have ended the way it did.”
Molitor, who said she is planning to attend graduate school, went on to say, “I’m finished talking about what happened that night with Joe. It’s time to move on from that. I wish Joe the best of luck in his future.”
Mixon, who led Oklahoma to two Big 12 championships, had been projected as an early-round pick, but the punching incident — and video — might damage his NFL draft stock.