No Sugarcoating It, That Was A Brutal--and Costly--Look For Diego Pavia; Column

Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia went viral on social media for the wrong reasons after finishing second in the Heisman Trophy race. The moments will stick with him as he looks to play in the NFL this fall.

Dec 13, 2025; New York, NY, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia speaks to the media during a press conference at the New York Marriott Marquis before the presentation of the Heisman trophy. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

It started as a celebration, a testament to all that Diego Pavia had done and all that he’d allowed this Vanderbilt program to become. Then, it became one that he’ll have to answer for as he meets with NFL teams throughout the spring.

Pavia went to New York with the dream of boarding the plane back to Nashville with the Heisman Trophy—which Vanderbilt running back MK Young said Pavia had always envisioned having—in hand, instead he had a mess to clean up. That mess is entirely Pavia’s doing and won’t go away easily, it’s the type of mess that will stay with him in some way for the rest of his career. 

The Vanderbilt quarterback posted a picture on his Instagram story with the caption “F*** all the voters…but family for life.” When it appeared as if that would be the final word from Pavia in the limelight, a video emerged of him with a middle finger up alongside a club sign that read “F*** Indiana”—the school of Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza, who Pavia came in second place to. 

Diego Pavia’s message on instagram:

F*** all the voters.. but family for life. pic.twitter.com/arGq0naWC3

— Dylan Tovitz (@dtovitz) December 14, 2025

All the national appeal that Pavia had garnered as a result of his confidence and unusually-compelling underdog story seemingly vanished with the two videos. The Vanderbilt quarterback said on Friday that he wanted to be considered confident, not arrogant and cocky. Pavia has a good heart and has gone out of his way to take the high road in regard to questioning at times over the course of the season while crediting his teammates. Yet, none of that will be noticed. Instead, the poor perception of Pavia that exists will now precede him to some forever. 

All he can do now is hope to explain it away, spoiler alert; that’s not possible. He needed to express that he’s better than his reaction to what happened on Saturday night. Even then, that likely won’t be enough to some. 

“To be so close to my dream and come up short was painful,” Pavia said in a Sunday night Twitter statement. “I didn’t handle those emotions well at all and did not represent myself the way I wanted to. I have much love and respect for the Heisman voters and the selection process, and I apologize for being disrespectful. It was a mistake, and I am sorry.”

The Pavia experience is the best thing to ever happen to Vanderbilt football and has included its first 10-win season, moments that make NFL scouts say “damn” in press boxes and two of the best individual performances in program history. It’s also got a side that has been said to scare NFL evaluators when they think of the possibility of taking a chance on Pavia and his ability to overcome his physical shortcomings with the chip on his shoulder. 

It’s harsh, but the reality is Pavia likely cost himself some money and opportunities on Saturday due to something that has nothing to do with his ability to lead an offense or captivate a locker room. If he doesn’t hear his name called during the NFL Draft, this night will be held over his head.

Being a part of the Heisman ceremony last night as a finalist was such an honor. As a competitor, just like in everything I do I wanted to win. To be so close to my dream and come up short was painful. I didn’t handle those emotions well at all and did not represent myself the…

— Diego Pavia (@diegopavia02) December 15, 2025

The edge and confidence that Pavia showed as he declared himself better than a few former Heisman winners in his Friday media availability was fine in itself, but now it will draw more scrutiny as a result of Pavia’s actions. Some will compare him to his football mentor Johnny Manziel because of the antics. Some will never see him for the positive qualities that he has and the part of the American dream that he represents. 

Some will see him as what he’s set out to prove he isn’t from SEC Media Day on; a distraction. Fair or not, it doesn’t matter. That’s what happens when things like what happened on Saturday night happen. 

“My teammates, coaches and staff have my six. I love them — I am grateful for them,” Pavia's statement declared. “I wouldn’t want anything to distract from that. I look forward to competing in front of my family and with my team one more time in the ReliaQuest Bowl.”

The ReliaQuest Bowl is no longer the story as Pavia returns to Nashville, though. Instead, it’s him and the light that he shined on himself over the weekend. In the fallout, it’s hard to remember Pavia representing Vanderbilt on a surreal stage with a legitimate chance to win college football’s most prestigious individual award. 

It’s hard to forget the aftermath. It's not as if there's no bouncing back from this, but it's going to take work.