His name is everywhere these days — the quarterback who earned the Heisman and led his Hoosiers to their first-ever national championship.
Fernando Mendoza rapidly became a sports celebrity and a household name. Even people who don’t follow sports can’t seem to get enough of his inspiring story.
Curious what all the hype is about? While it's good to remember that celebrities are just ordinary people with faults and qualities, it's refreshing to see someone setting a good example and modeling behaviors you'd like to see in your own children.
So here are 5 things we're learning from Fernando Mendoza's time on the world stage.
1He’s unashamedly a devout Catholic
Mendoza comes from “a very Catholic family,” he’s said in interviews, and he says his faith comes first in his life. After every game, his first on-camera response is to give glory to God. After winning the national championship, he said:
I don’t praise God because we won. I praise Him because He’s worthy — no matter the outcome. Tonight just happened to be a blessing.
When he took his Heisman Trophy to visit the campus chaplains in a now-viral photo, he explained how important the priests are to him, saying:
The only reason I’ve gotten to this point is because there’s so many different people helping me in my journey, and [the Saint Paul priests] have been one. They’ve done so much to help me, whether it’s confession or just to be able to talk or just Mass every Sunday. So I really give a lot that I have accomplished this season to the Lord, and we give thanks to God.
The power of his witness to young people is extraordinary. Campus chaplain Fr. Patrick Hyde, OP, said in an interview:
He’s inspiring young people to make their faith a normal part of their life.
When I was growing up, being outwardly religious was a threat to your popularity. For young people to see someone with his popularity being outspoken about it, so can they.
The authenticity of his faith and his gratitude are really remarkable.
2His family is his everything
A close-knit, loving family is a blessing, and Mendoza knows how lucky he is to have his. He’s very close to his family, from his younger brothers to his parents, to his Cuban grandparents.
One part of his story that’s especially caught the public’s attention is that his mother lives with multiple sclerosis. Her courageous fight is an inspiration to him every day. He said in his Heisman speech:
Mami, this is your trophy as much as it is mine. You’ve always been my biggest fan. You’re my light, you’re my why and biggest supporter… You tell me toughness doesn’t need to be loud, it can be quiet and strong… Together, you and I, are defying what people think is possible.
He also gave part of his speech in Spanish, thanking his hardworking Cuban-immigrant grandparents, who gave up everything they knew so that their children and grandchildren could have a brighter future. The growing Hispanic football-fan community applauded his representation.
And he chose to transfer from sunny University of California, Berkeley, to cold and snowy Indiana University, so that he could play with his brother Alberto. That’s love!
3He’s an underdog — and so is his team
The Hoosiers’ national championship is one of the great underdog stories in sports history. They entered the season as the leader in all-time college football losses, never having come close to winning the championship — not since their last undefeated season, anyway, which was way back in 1945.
But Mendoza took the underdog energy to a whole new level. He began his college career as a two-star recruit. Most universities overlooked him, and his dream team, the University of Miami denied him even a walk-on spot.
But that rejection fueled his drive, and he went on to defeat University of Miami for the championship title.
Even people who aren’t usually sports fans easily find themselves caught up in the thrill of this almost unbelievable story.
4He makes each person feel seen
At the national championship media day last weekend, Mendoza’s unusually personal and attentive responses stood out to reporters. The New York Times described him in this way:
For almost an hour on Saturday, Mendoza took every question, good and not-so-good, in stride. There wasn’t a single wasted answer, as he tried to give each reporter what they were looking for.
“He wants to make a personal connection with everyone,” said Greg Campbell, Indiana’s assistant athletic director for strategic communication. “That’s unique in a lot of ways for any walk of life. He wants people to feel like, when you ask him a question, he’s answering your question and not answering it for anybody else. He’s so personable and easy to like and work with.”
This description calls to mind Pope Benedict XVI’s famous words:
Seeing with the eyes of Christ, I can give to others much more than their outward necessities; I can give them the look of love which they crave.
Mendoza seems to make a genuine effort really to see and notice each person he meets. No wonder people can’t get enough.
5He’s just so darn wholesome
Mendoza’s public persona is incredibly wholesome and uplifting, and that’s on purpose.
He took public speaking classes in high school and at Cal, and watched YouTube videos about public speaking, all in an effort to present himself well for a life after football, saying:
Such an important part is communication. That’s how you really get yourself across the line. That’s how you really portray yourself and give a good impression to another person. That’s something I would recommend to anybody, especially any young sports athlete, is the way that you represent yourself and the way that you’re able to come across to your peers, to your coaches and to, later, ownership, it’s so important on your journey.
Putting in effort so that he can present himself so well and professionally is a remarkably mature decision for someone his age.
He’s an inspiring Cuban-American with an underdog story, a squeaky clean image, enormous love for his family — and a Catholic faith he practices every day. What’s not to love, honestly? It's easy to see why there are so many members of the Fernando Mendoza fan club.
