Antoinette Padilla, the mother of Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia, has become a familiar face to college football fans this season due to her enthusiastic presence in the stands. During broadcasts, cameras frequently capture Padilla’s passionate support, and her dancing and cheering during Vanderbilt’s recent 45-17 victory over Kentucky once again made her a trending topic on social media.
However, not everyone is a fan of the constant coverage. On a recent episode of the “Nonstop” podcast, ESPN analyst Joey Galloway expressed his fatigue with the repeated shots of Padilla. “Is there a camera on Pavia’s mother the entire game?” Galloway asked his cohost, Kirk Herbstreit. “I love the story. I love the family. Not every play.”
Galloway’s sentiment has been echoed by some viewers, including a rival Tennessee fan who noted on X that he found her “more insufferable than her son.”
Adding to the spotlight, Padilla was joined on the field by comedian Theo Vonn for Vanderbilt’s Senior Day ceremony. The connection began in September when Pavia jokingly offered Vonn a date with his mother if the Commodores defeated South Carolina. After Vanderbilt secured a 31-7 win, Vonn followed through by attending the game, telling the SEC Network broadcast he’d “like to marry a nurse one day,” but clarified he preferred to remain friends with Pavia rather than become his stepfather.
After the Kentucky game, Vonn confirmed on X that they are not a couple. “Never got the date, but did develop a friendship with the greatest family in college sports! God Bless the Pavias!” he wrote.
The celebration was well-earned, as Pavia delivered a career-best performance against the Wildcats, throwing for five touchdowns and setting a new single-game Vanderbilt record with 484 passing yards. Pavia, a Heisman Trophy candidate, has consistently credited his mother’s work ethic for his success.
“My mom, she’s hard-hat, lunch-pail. She grew up with 13 brothers and sisters in a single home,” Pavia told The Athletic earlier this year. He also shared that he later realized his mother would often claim not to be hungry so that her children could have enough to eat.
The Commodores are now set to close their regular season against in-state rival Tennessee, where a victory would cap off a remarkable year for Pavia and his team.
