Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia’s mom steals the spotlight with viral looks. A college football star’s stunning fan goes viral—and it’s not his girlfriend. Nashville, TN Diego Pavia, the quarterback for Vanderbilt University’s football team, is garnering attention, but it’s his mother, Antoinette Padilla, who is truly taking center stage.
On Saturday, the star’s mom took to the stands to watch her son play football against the University of South Carolina at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, where she went viral on social media for her stunning looks.
Dressed in an oversized Vanderbilt jersey and matching lanyard, Padilla turned heads with her honey-brown highlighted hair cascading down her back. She even stuck a ‘V’ sticker for Vanderbilt on her cheek to complete the spirited look in support of her son.
And, while her 23-year-old son may have led the team to its historical upset against Alabama earlier this season, fans on X, formerly known as Twitter, were equally as captivated by his mom’s appearance in the stands this past weekend.
“The only thing I can say about Vandy is that Diego Pavia’s mother is fine, AF (as f***),” one person wrote on X. Another agreed, “Respectfully, Diego Pavia’s mom.” The conversation also continued on Reddit in a postgame thread on Saturday evening.
“What I learned today is that our defense will continue to be effective.” A Reddit user commented, “Diego Pavia’s mom is extremely attractive.” Someone else agreed, “Can confirm. Mom is a smokeshow.”
For Pavia, who transferred to Vanderbilt from New Mexico State, this season has been a series of highs, including that historic upset win over Alabama. Throughout his journey, he’s credited Padilla as his biggest supporter, saying she instilled in him a “winning mentality.”
After the Alabama game, Pavia openly expressed his admiration for his mom’s dedication. “My mom hates losing more than she loves winning,” he shared, hinting at the fierce drive that runs in the family. Fans can sense this sentiment not only in Pavia’s intense game-day performance but also in the unwavering support his family consistently shows, regardless of the weather conditions.
Despite the ongoing controversy surrounding Padilla’s game-day appearances on social media, Pavia has remained composed. With a smile, he recently joked that he always knew his family’s presence would go viral. “If they put a camera on those guys, they’d go viral every single time,” he laughed, nodding to his brother Roel and their shared group of friends.
For now, Padilla’s viral status might be a lighthearted twist in Vanderbilt’s season, but it’s clear the Pavia family is more than just a fan club. They’re part of the Vanderbilt experience, creating moments that fans will remember long after the final whistle.