Fernando Mendoza's mom is Indiana QB's 'why.' What to know of top NFL draft pick's mother
Fernando Mendoza's mom is Indiana QB's 'why.' What to know of top NFL draft pick's mother
John Leuzzi, USA TODAY NETWORKThu, April 23, 2026 at 10:07 AM UTC
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Fernando Mendoza's mom is Indiana QB's 'why.' What to know of top NFL draft pick's mother
Fernando Mendoza is in line to make history during the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Heisman Trophy winner who led Indiana to its first national title in program history, is projected to be the No. 1 overall pick by the Las Vegas Raiders — the first time a Hoosiers player has been selected with the first pick since Corby Davis went to the Los Angeles Rams in 1938.
OPINION: 'Gym rat' Fernando Mendoza is right pick for Raiders – if team is patient
Only 13 Hoosiers have been taken in the first round of the NFL draft, and no quarterbacks. The highest-drafted quarterback in program history is Babe Laufenberg, who was taken in the sixth round of the 1983 NFL Draft with the No. 168 overall pick.
The 6-foot-5 quarterback is set to take in all that history and see his childhood dream become a reality (which will come with a payday of over $54 million) from the comfort of his hometown of Miami with his friends and family, including his best friend and mom, Elsa Mendoza.
Here's what to know about Fernando Mendoza's mom ahead of the NFL draft:
1 / 0See the top quarterbacks available in the 2026 NFL Draft
Quarterbacks headline early evaluations for the 2026 NFL Draft as teams begin sorting the best available prospects at the position.See the college quarterbacks drawing attention as draft boards take shape ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft.Above, Fernando Mendoza of the Indiana Hoosiers reacts after a touchdown against the Oregon Ducks during the fourth quarter of the 2025 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 09, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia.
Who is Fernando Mendoza's mom?
Fernando Mendoza's mom is Elsa Mendoza, who played women's tennis at the University of Miami. The Hurricanes declined Fernando Mendoza a walk-on opportunity coming out of high school at Christopher Columbus High School in Miami.
More importantly, she's also Fernando Mendoza's best friend and "inspiration," because of her open battle with multiple sclerosis. In an appearance on "The Rich Eisen Show" on April 20, the projected first overall pick said his mom's battle is the source of his resilience throughout his playing career.
"I see her fighting every single day and with a smile on her face," Fernando Mendoza told Eisen. "So there's no excuse for me to have a bad day, bad play or bad game. I'm always trying to have an optimistic approach, give the best and serve the best to my teammates."
In his Heisman Trophy acceptance speech, Mendoza thanked his mother and said they were "rewriting what people think is possible."
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"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.' You're my biggest supporter. Your sacrifice, courage, love those have been my first playbook, and the playbook that I'm gonna carry through my side through my entire life," Fernando Mendoza said. "You taught me that toughness doesn't need to be loud. It can be quiet and strong. It's choosing hope. It's believing in yourself when the world doesn't give you much reason to.
"Together, you and I are rewriting what people think is possible. I love you."
What illness does Fernando Mendoza's mom have?
Elsa Mendoza has multiple sclerosis, a disease that affects the central nervous system. In a letter written to Fernando Mendoza on The Players' Tribune, Elsa Mendoza said she was diagnosed about 18 years ago. Her battle took a "downhill" turn about five years ago, when she was diagnosed with COVID-19.
Despite her battle with multiple sclerosis, Elsa Mendoza still had a notable presence at Indiana's games this past season, including the Big Ten Championship and the Hoosiers' national championship run in the College Football Playoff, in the stands while sitting in her wheelchair.
In her Players Tribune letter, Elsa Mendoza said her son has made her battle "so much easier."
"You’ve made it so much easier. And you’ve done that in the sweetest, strongest, most Fernando way possible — by making me feel the exact opposite of embarrassed. You’ve made me feel seen. Whether it was giving me full debriefs of your college visits, what you liked and disliked (pictures included) … or it was calling me before some big game I had to miss while in treatment … or it’s being so vocal and passionate about MS fundraising … or it’s even something as silly as joking, 'Wait, did you put on a few pounds???' when you have to carry me up the stairs … you’ve always kept that same spark in your eye," Elsa Mendoza wrote.
"No matter what kind of state I’ve been in, or day I’ve been having — you’ve never once looked away. You’ve never once treated me like I’m embarrassing, or deficient, or anything other than someone you love and are standing by. And even as my condition has gotten worse, and as our lives continue to change around that fact: You manage to make me feel like I’m still every part of myself. Like I’m still that same person you’ve been teammates with since we got through our first Boston winter together. Like I’m still that same mom."
Why isn't Fernando Mendoza at NFL draft?
Fernando Mendoza will not be in Pittsburgh for the first round of the draft. Instead, he will be home in Miami with his family and friends for a draft watch party, as that is "a lot easier" for his family and their eventual travel plans to the city of the NFL team that drafts him.
"My mom really wanted to do it at home and so did my parents," Mendoza told Eisen on Monday. "It's a lot easier for us with the family situation. We're going to have to hop on a plane the next morning anyways and for that travel, it would be a lot easier to stay at home."
1 / 0Fernando Mendoza has Heisman moment with fourth-down TD vs. MiamiFernando Mendoza rushes for a fourth quarter touchdown against Miami.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who is Fernando Mendoza's mom? What to know of NFL draft pick's mother
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