Theo Von Addresses the Rumors About His “Almost” Date With Diego Pavia’s Mom
Vanderbilt football’s unexpected turnaround has been one of the season’s best surprises — but somehow, the most entertaining storyline isn’t about bowl chances or breakout players. It’s the playful, half-serious, half-chaotic saga involving Theo Von and Diego Pavia’s mom, Antoinette Padilla.
It all started a few weeks back when Theo was spotted on the sideline during Vanderbilt’s win over South Carolina. The comedian revealed that Pavia promised to set him up on a date with his mom if the Commodores pulled off the victory. Theo admitted the idea intrigued him — after all, she’s a nurse, and he’s joked many times about wanting to marry one — but he also wasn’t sure he was ready for the responsibility of “becoming a stepdad” to his quarterback friend.
Diego Pavia’s mom is ready for a shot at a Heisman.pic.twitter.com/jeChJ1eIIw
— Sean Joseph (@sjoseph_sports) November 23, 2025
Still, the internet immediately did what the internet does: it ran wild. Photos of Pavia’s mom surfaced, fans asked for updates, and Vanderbilt football suddenly had its own rom-com subplot.
Then things escalated.
After Vanderbilt’s win over Missouri, Pavia joined Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson on Nightcap. Mid-interview, he flipped the camera — and standing behind him was Theo Von… and his mother. Social media detonated within seconds. Were they on a date? Did the setup finally happen? Was Theo about to trade podcasting for PTA meetings?
Theo didn’t clarify anything at the time, but the speculation only grew louder. Eventually, on his This Past Weekend podcast, he finally addressed the situation.
what @TheoVon forgot is, I said it was a deal if and only if he told @tatemcrae to lemme take her on A1 date in Nashville 🤝 twitter make it happen 👀 https://t.co/x2ODiluXcQ
— Diego Pavia (@diegopavia02) September 15, 2025
According to Theo, the date simply never materialized. Not for lack of trying — he says he made himself available — but he couldn’t get a clear answer, and didn’t want to risk complicating his friendship with Diego:
“I don’t want to be in a position where I’m telling him to clean his room. We’re friends first. She’s great, but we might just work better as friends too.”
He echoed a similar sentiment on The Pat McAfee Show, saying he was even taking extra care of himself for a potential first date… but ultimately, it fizzled before it ever officially happened. Meanwhile, Theo joked that he also failed to deliver on his side of the original bet: getting Pavia a date with pop star Tate McRae.
“I’ve become really good friends with the Pavia family..
I love hanging out with Diego and that Vanderbilt team..
It brings so much joy to my life” ~ @TheoVon #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/PuXbuLVaGL
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) November 25, 2025
Still, the bond between Theo, Diego, and the entire Pavia family remains strong. The quarterback even invited Theo to walk with him on Senior Day — something the comedian said meant a lot to him.
In the end, there’s no new romance to report. Just a wholesome, genuinely funny friendship that added an unexpected layer of entertainment to Vanderbilt’s season.
And honestly? Probably for the best. Dating your friend’s mom has a high comedy ceiling, but a high risk of awkward holiday dinners — especially if the friend gets drafted to the NFL and suddenly lives three time zones away.
