Former Tennessee Football quarterback Joey Aguilar has filed a lawsuit against the NCAA in Knox County Court while looking for another season of eligibility with Tennessee football.
Aguilar last week was granted voluntary dismissal as a plaintiff in the Diego Pavia eligibility lawsuit and he hired his own representation in January.
Tennessee’s quarterback room without Aguilar has redshirt freshman George MacIntyre and freshman Faizon Brandon. The Vols added Colorado transfer Ryan Staub as a depth option out of the NCAA Transfer Portal.
Joey Aguilar noncommittal when asked about 2026
Aguilar at the end of the regular season was noncommittal when asked in press-conference settings about his plans for next season.
“I’m excited to go out there and play one more time for this team,” Aguilar said before the Music City Bowl at Nissan Stadium. “I’m super grateful for the coaches, community and players for accepting me in.”
It was reported on December 26 that Aguilar was one of 26 former junior college players who added their names as plaintiffs to the Pavia lawsuit. The group in a court filing were seeking another year of eligibility through an extension of the ruling that allowed Pavia to play this season.
The 26 players, according to the filing, were seeking “immediate injunctive relief to preclude the (NCAA) from enforcing its Intercollegiate Competition Rules to preclude Plaintiffs from paying NCAA Division I college football in 2026-27 and/or 2027-28 year on the grounds that such enforcement violates Section 1 of the Sherman Antitrust Act.”
Aguilar, an Antioch, Calif., native, spent the previous two seasons at Appalachian State, where he threw for 6,760 yards, 56 touchdowns and 24 interceptions in 25 games. He threw for 3,444 yards and 24 touchdowns this season.
He played two seasons at Diablo Community College in California, in 2021 and 2022, before transferring up to Appalachian State.
Aguilar has stayed quiet about the Pavia lawsuit extension since it was reported last month that his name would be one of the many added as plaintiffs. He has also remained uncertain, at least publicly, about his plans for next season.
“My answer is still my answer,” Aguilar said on December 16, “just focus on the season and pursue what I want to pursue afterwards.”