Theo Von is Vanderbilt Football's Most Unique Fan. He Makes It Cool to Be One
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NASHVILLE—-He walked through the grass, across the concrete with his nearly patented Detroit Tigers’ hat, glasses, a teal shirt and an…Alabama belt hanging on his shoulder. The stunt was one that some within Vanderbilt’s fanbase will forever hold against Theo Von if he tries to validate his Vanderbilt football fandom.
Von knows that the move will come with its fair share of backlash, but he’s made a name for himself as a professional with his polarizing actions and unconventional thinking. The comedian and star podcaster didn’t want to be disrespectful as he walked onto the stage in front of Alabama’s Lloyd Hall, though.
The selection of Von in itself was controversial and uncharacteristic of a crew that largely leans into the home team and the notable celebrities with ties to it. Von was neither of which, instead he was notorious for his relationship with the visiting program.
Alabama’s fanbase had already brought the College Gameday crew under fire for choosing Von to be its guest picker enough to warrant his selection sparking a pressing question to Gameday host Rece Davis in his generally lighthearted Friday media availability.
Between his off-the-wall reasons for picking teams, a joke directed at Nick Saban and his back and forth with ESPN’s Pat McAfee, Von paid his respects to the grounds he was standing on. He still came back to Vanderbilt when it was time to make a decision in front of the nation, though.
“I feel blessed to be here,” Von said on stage, “But, Vanderbilt is my ride home. They’re my ride home. I’m not joking.” The ensuing moments included Von becoming the subject of boos from the Tuscaloosa crowd and Von making a plea to the Nashville law enforcement to “free” Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia’s brothers after their arrests at Vanderbilt’s opener against Charleston Southern.
It was the on-brand chaotic moment that drew the show’s talking heads and producers to selecting Von in the first place. In the end, though, his pick was uncharacteristically anticlimactic.
“I picked Vandy, but also it's like; everybody can't pick Alabama,” Von told Vandy on SI before the Commodores’ Saturday win over LSU. “That's no fun. Some people didn't like it, but whatever, man. Everybody can't pick the same team. That's ridiculous. And they were my ride home.”
Von’s remarks regarding Vanderbilt being his ride home appeared to be as satirical as his remarks regarding the pink eye he got surrounding South Bend, Indiana, but upon a closer look, they aren’t all that far fetched.
The polarizing Nashville-based star has been a fixture at Vanderbilt’s practice facility since the beginning of its fall camp, has pictures of Vanderbilt tight end Emmanuel Adebi, offensive tackle Bryce Henderson, cornerback Mark Davis, offensive lineman Chase Mitchell and safety Dontae Carter on his Instagram–which has 8.5 million followers.
Say what you will about Von’s multiple SEC rooting interests, but he’s put in his hours within this Vanderbilt program.
“He’s always looking out for us,” Vanderbilt defensive end Khordae Sydnor told Vandy on SI. “It’s funny, I was surprised he knew my name. It’s kind of cool. He’s kind of getting to know everybody’s name, it’s getting more personable. It’s cool man. He’s just a bundle of joy, man. You always want to have some positivity around you and he definitely brings that to the squad.”
Theo Von reacts to Sedrick Alexander’s breakaway touchdown. pic.twitter.com/4XSbuWS1uq
— Joey Dwyer (@joey_dwy) October 4, 2025
Von has been at all but one of Vanderbilt’s games this season–its win over Utah State, when he was in New York for a standup show–including its road games against Virginia Tech, South Carolina and Alabama. He hadn’t been associated with Vanderbilt’s program until its win over No. 1 Alabama, but he’s embraced it with open arms since.
There’s no Vanderbilt football fan like Von, not one with his level of reach, not one with his level of absurdity and not one with his level of pull within its locker room. Von says he’s particularly close with Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia, running back MK Young and Chris Bellamy–a transfer wide receiver from New Mexico State that wasn’t granted an additional year of eligibility, but is still involved in Vanderbilt’s program.
Perhaps the storyline that best encapsulates Von’s relation to Vanderbilt’s program is his ongoing gag with Pavia in regard to his relationship with Pavia’s mom and his facilitation of Pavia’s relationship with Tate McRae.
“He’s Theo Von,” Davis said in defense of Gameday’s decision to let Von be the week’s guest picker as he acknowledged the magnitude of Von’s reach and personality. “I don't know if Theo is dating Diego's mom, if that's true or not. But if he is, I'm sure he can still make his pick and have some fun, the crowd can have some fun going ‘boo Theo Von, we don't like it that you're dating Diego’s mom.’”
Within Vanderbilt’s group–which affectionately describes itself as a band of “misfits–Von is a misfit in his own way. It’s almost fitting that he’s the most prominent celebrity that’s gravitated toward this place and team. He’s the antithesis of the stereotypical buttoned-up Vanderbilt fan, but embodies the ideals of Clark Lea’s 2025 team in that it–as well as Von–has to be different in order to succeed.
For Lea’s team, that looks like embracing a deceiving offensive scheme and the idea that it can’t be dominant without being a little delusional. For Von, it looks like developing a persona that allows him to interact publicly with United States president Donald Trump and child star “The Rizzler” without skipping a beat.
Theo Von to Pat McAfee:
— Joey Dwyer (@joey_dwy) October 4, 2025
“I hope you save a few stacks to bail out the Pavia brothers tonight. Free the Pavias.” pic.twitter.com/SFQOc7LUeV
Von is perhaps the only person who could get away with bringing in star streamer IShowSpeed and hijacking Vanderbilt’s post-practice huddle in the midst of a game week with a fake motivational speech. If any moment indicated that this iteration of Vanderbilt football isn’t the same old Vanderbilt, it was that one.
The program that has often been uptight and has been accused of riding its high horse to a degree that hindered its on-field performance was suddenly as loose as any. Perhaps it learned something from Von.
“You talk about somebody who doesn’t squeeze it too tight, he really has a great perspective and wisdom,” Lea said. “Here’s a guy who knows how to find fun in everything he does.”
As this Vanderbilt program has become fun at a level in which it never has been, it’s needed a figurehead to embody it. Von isn’t the blueprint fan–and has still been spotted rooting on other SEC teams–but he’s made it cool to be a Vanderbilt football fan.
Von used every bit of might he had and relied plenty on then-Vanderbilt wide receiver Quincy Skinner as they worked together to pick up a Gatorade cooler on Vanderbilt’s sideline and ran it over to pour onto Lea as the buzzer sounded on Vanderbilt’s monumental win over No. 1 Alabama at FirstBank Stadium.
Skinner had paid his dues with a career full of losing and discouragement as he lifted that bucket as to avenge some of his previous scars as a member of Vanderbilt’s program. It wasn’t quite that significant for Von–who had just taken an interest in Vanderbilt in the days prior–but it appeared to be the start of something.
In the following weeks, Von developed a relationship with Lea and Pavia that kept him coming back and believing in this program.
“I feel like I just showed up when they’re winning, bro,” Von said. “It’s pretty fascinating to me. I’m an underdog, man. I’ve been an underdog my whole life, that’s the only thing I love. That’s what this program has been. It’s a gift for me to be around young guys that have a lot of energy and s***.”
Theo Von was at Vanderbilt’s practice this morning. pic.twitter.com/5MCABBGwhb
— Joey Dwyer (@joey_dwy) August 8, 2025
Von’s friend Steve Lee has attended Vanderbilt games for “like 40 years” and reminds Von that this fanbase has so often doesn’t know how to react to big wins because they haven’t been accustomed to them previously. If Von didn’t believe it when he heard it from Lee, he heard it from Lea or Vanderbilt offensive consultant Jordan Matthews–who he says as a friend.
It wouldn’t appear on the surface that Von–a star that’s made a name for himself as a result of his relatability–and Lea–an innately articulate and put together speaker that thrives off of vision–would have that much in common. Their love of their role as the underdog and respective climbs has brought them together, though.
“Theo’s become a great friend,” Lea said. “I appreciate his interest in our program, the friendships that he’s built that started, honestly, last year around the Alabama game and the connections he’s built with our players. He’s around a lot and it’s a neat thing, here’s a guy that knows how to find fun in everything he does.”
“Clark, I feel like is a good role model,” Von said. ”I love some of the talks he gives. I love the accountability that they have in practice where guys can pick up. So it's all a gift.”
Lea says that Von is a source of wisdom for his players, a claim that would go against the perception that's often been given to the star comedian. Vanderbilt believes that it values Von for who he is rather than just his public perception, though.
Von admits that he hasn't had a lifelong love of Vanderbilt--and perhaps he'll find another SEC team to latch on to once Pavia departs from Vanderbilt's program--but he's a fixture of its program these days. Vanderbilt is embracing that, regardless of the ideas the public has of Von's fandom.
“Everyone has their own opinion,” Vanderbilt defensive lineman Joshua Singh said. “Theo's just a good dude, and he loves being here, he loves supporting the team. He's just like one of the bros on the team."
_(1)-b3e453dfe426b2dd4b83a12540ebdb37.jpeg "Joey Dwyer")
Joey Dwyer is the lead writer on Vanderbilt Commodores On SI. He found his first love in college sports at nearby Lipscomb University and decided to make a career of telling its best stories. He got his start doing a Notre Dame basketball podcast from his basement as a 14-year-old during COVID and has since aimed to make that 14-year-old proud. Dwyer has covered Vanderbilt sports for three years and previously worked for 247 Sports and Rivals. He contributes to Seth Davis' Hoops HQ, Southeastern 16 and Mainstreet Nashville.
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