How Diego Pavia Has Exposed Selective Outrage in Football – On3

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Americans love to label someone as the villain. 
It could be music, politics, movies, or sports. There is a vampiric need in many people in our society to direct their hatred towards a “bad guy.” And when that villain has an apparent setback, Americans love to pile on. Even if the setback is manufactured, or in some cases hasn’t even happened yet. In those moments, people can’t resist the urge to kick the villain when they are down. 
Over the weekend, former Vanderbilt star quarterback Diego Pavia went undrafted in the 2026 NFL Draft. And his haters and critics feasted on social media. The fallout from Pavia getting undrafted cemented his status as the most hated player in College Football and Public Enemy No. 1 for many sports fans in America. 
How we got here is not only fascinating and head-scratching, but it also exposes just how far selective outrage in football goes. And how ridiculous. 
Over the last year, Diego Pavia has become the ultimate villain in football.
It started with his Bussin’ with the Boys interview last summer when Pavia declared that Vanderbilt Football had National Championship and College Football Playoff aspirations. There was even more aggravation in the same podcast episode when Pavia claimed that Vanderbilt was going to run the state of Tennessee. The vitriol towards Pavia gained steam during the regular season as he publicly promoted his Heisman Trophy campaign amid a historic 10-2 season. And the hatred exploded after Pavia’s social media posts from the night he finished second to Fernando Mendoza in the Heisman Trophy voting. 
In only one year, Pavia went from underdog hero to a hated villain. Despite winning everywhere he’s been. Despite becoming a starting SEC quarterback after receiving no Division One offers out of high school. Despite overcoming numerous obstacles thrown his way, Diego Pavia is hated by many, and they hate him with a passion. People hate Diego Pavia for several reasons. Some of these reasons are on the field, and some aren’t. 
Off the field, people hate that Pavia is cocky and has an unwavering belief in himself. The critics hate how Pavia’s teammates and coaches gush about his tenacity and leadership. They hate that Pavia has appeared on several podcasts and is not shy in front of a microphone. The critics hate that Pavia is mentored by Johnny Manziel, who was College Football’s bad boy in his heyday. People hate that Pavia’s family likes to party and enjoy his success. Pavia’s haters were furious that Pavia didn’t blink and talked back when Alabama fans were caught on video cussing him out. Some of Pavia’s critics hate that he doesn’t “look like” the typical college quarterback. People hate that Pavia is close with Theo Von. And many people hate that several popular media pundits like Pat McAfee and Jon Gruden love Pavia.  During the season, people hated that when Pavia showed up to his postgame press conferences, he wore a hat branded for his Heisman campaign.
When the Heisman Trophy news broke, people hated Pavia for being a poor sport. Pavia’s critics were enraged when he took shots at the Heisman voters with an Instagram story that said, “F all the voters.” His detractors were even angrier when Pavia was spotted under a nightclub sign that read “F*** Indiana” later that night. And even when Pavia publicly apologized, his critics scoffed.
When it comes to actual football, people hate that Pavia led Vanderbilt Football to a 10-2 season – an unprecedented success and notoriety for the Commodores in the modern era. The anti-Pavia crowd hates that Pavia was responsible for several Vanderbilt upsets of well-established, historically elite football programs. They hate that Pavia is undersized as a quarterback who is never out of a game. They hate that Pavia made First-Team All-SEC last year and finished with more total yards than any other Heisman Trophy candidate. People hate that Pavia went into Knoxville last year and out-gained the entire Tennessee Volunteers offense in a blowout win. Pavia’s critics hate that he has excellent field vision and accuracy. Simply put, Pavia’s haters can’t stand that he is an elite NCAA player who won’t just go away. It eats at their souls.
Diego Pavia has so many people who hate him that they will spread misinformation about him. 
During the season, the narrative emerged that Pavia’s ego was too big and that his partying was a distraction for Vanderbilt. This rumor gained legs even though Pavia never missed a meeting, a practice, or a team lift during the 2025 season. It didn’t seem to matter that Pavia was chronically early to practice and spent most of the week in the gym. It didn’t matter that he was the heart and soul of his team.
Towards the end of the season, rumors spread that Pavia was going to sue for another year of eligibility, when in reality, he was keeping his class action lawsuit alive to help other JUCO players. It was immaterial that Pavia himself publicly said he would be done with college after the 2025 season. 
This spring, Pavia’s QB class interview with Jon Gruden was taken completely out of context. It went viral that Pavia didn’t have an agent, even though an NFL agency has represented Pavia since January. The clip got clicks and lazy fans, and reporters seized on it.  
And the latest misinformation is the fake Shane Tuttle post in which Pavia allegedly cussed out the NFL on Instagram. Despite coming from an openly satirical account, the post got over 2.4 million impressions. Over two million impressions for something completely false. 
When someone is so hated, facts do not matter. Public perception overshadows reality. Unfortunately for Pavia, that has become the case with his critics. Selective outrage at its finest
There are plenty of bad people and shady characters who play football. It’s a violent sport, and sometimes the players on the field have done awful things away from the gridiron. 
Just look at what Tyreek Hill, Joe Mixon, Jeffrey Simmons, and Jalen Carter did before they got drafted. Several NFL players have done terrible things since they were drafted. Still, Hill, Simmons, Mixon, and Carter are all relevant examples of NCAA players who engaged in horrible conduct and were then afforded the benefit of the doubt.
Hill choked his then-pregnant girlfriend and punched her in the stomach. Mixon punched a woman and fractured multiple bones in her face. Jeffrey Simmons repeatedly punched a woman on the ground during an altercation involving two of his family members. Carter drag raced a Chandler LeCroy, a Georgia team employee, and Devin Willock, a fellow teammate. The drag race, where both vehicles went over 100 miles an hour, resulted in a crash, the deaths of LeCroy and Willock, and injuries to multiple other passengers. 
Hill, Mixon, Simmons, and Carter were all drafted and are still active NFL players. None of them has received anywhere near the backlash Diego Pavia has received on social media in the last year. Not even close.
When you compare Pavia’s mistakes to what Hill, Mixon, Simmons, and Carter all did before they got drafted, it is laughable. Diego Pavia has made some mistakes. He’s not perfect. He urinated on the New Mexico State logo, posted “F all the voters” after the Heisman Trophy ceremony, and was spotted next to a “F*** Indiana” sign at a nightclub after the ceremony. Public urination and profanity. Meanwhile, Hill assaulted a pregnant woman and child in the womb, Mixon assaulted a woman, Simmons assaulted a woman lying on the ground, and Carter killed two people and injured others with reckless driving. 
Pavia’s issues seem quite a bit minor in comparison, don’t you think? No arrests. No domestic violence. No assault. No court hearings. No funerals. No therapy. No trauma. Rather, a University of New Mexico logo that needed cleaning and the hurt feelings of the Heisman Trophy voters. Yet, it’s Pavia who gets raked over the coals and is bashed in the court of public opinion. 
Here’s the harsh reality. NFL teams and most of their fans do not care what players do, so long as they have “measurables” and are productive on the field. These players can be a danger to themselves. A danger to women and children. A danger to their communities. A danger to all other drivers on the road. So long as a player is fast, has size, or is supremely athletic, it can all be swept under the rug. But because Pavia doesn’t fit the perceived NFL mold, his misdeeds are magnified and unforgiven. Even though his mistakes harmed no one, Pavia is labeled “controversial” and as having “character concerns.” In contrast, these labels are noticeably absent when media members and fans discuss Hill, Mixon, Simmons, and Carter on social media or in articles.
That’s the messed-up sports world we live in in 2026, folks. And Diego Pavia is the latest example of fake moral crusading and the hypocrisy of many sports media and fans. It is selective outrage at its finest. Has Pavia made some stupid choices in his life? Absolutely. But the backlash that Pavia has received goes far beyond his imperfections and moments of immaturity.
Sports are supposed to be an escape from the aggravations of everyday life. But now, selective outrage, one of the worst aspects of the world in 2026, has polluted college football. All because of a 5’9 quarterback who dared to talk smack, back it up, win, and stumble. 
The stumbles were typical of college behavior, resulting in victimless mistakes. Stupid, silly, and misguided don’t even begin to cover this misplaced outrage towards Diego Pavia.
What may be the silliest fact of all is that Pavia’s story as a football player isn’t finished yet. 
Yesterday, Adam Schefter reported that Pavia received an invite to the Ravens’ Rookie Minicamp this weekend. Pavia will compete with UCONN quarterback Joe Fagano for the third quarterback spot and an invitation to Ravens training camp.
Today, Adam Schefter appeared on the Pat McAfee Show and reported that if the Ravens don’t sign him, other NFL teams are interested in bringing Pavia in. If the NFL does not work out, the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers have had Pavia’s negotiating rights since 2024, should he decide to play up North. Pavia could even become UFL eligible. The bell has yet to ring on his football career. And if football doesn’t work out, Pavia has the money and media connections to be successful in his next chapter.
The NFL Draft is a starting point. It’s not a life sentence. Are the odds against Pavia? Yes. And it will be a steep climb. But then again, Pavia is used to taking the stairs in his football career and could turn some heads when he reports to the Ravens. He’s going to give Baltimore his best shot. If he succeeds, nobody should be shocked. 
And while Pavia prepares to give the Ravens his best shot, his critics will take their best shots at him. Even if other players are way more deserving of criticism. What good are facts when a misplaced villain narrative is already in full swing? 
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