Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza opens up about inspirational mom Elsa who has MS

Fernando Mendoza is having a fairytale season for the ages.

The heavily-favored Heisman Trophy finalist and Indiana Hoosier’s quarterback had an emotional appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show” in which he credits his resilience to watching his mother’s battle against Multiple Sclerosis, a severe chronic autoimmune disease.

A clip from the segment circulated on X, in which Mendoza, 22, stated, “to see my mom, you know, fighting every day, whether it’s PT, new treatments, it always gives myself a new optimistic approach,” the QB said.

Fernando, Mendoza — Quarterback celebrates the Big Ten win | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It is no surprise that Mendoza is considered the leading candidate to win the Heisman with his courageous character and humble approach to life, even if he gets made fun of it sometimes.

Though Mendoza’s mother, Elsa, is confined to a wheelchair due to her condition, she never misses a moment to support her son from the sidelines. The Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year shares that family means everything to him, and he owes his strength to the ongoing health challenges he has watched his mother face.

"My family means everything to me and my mom always gives me that optimistic approach..

I see her fighting every single day and I know there's no excuse to ever have a bad day" @qb_fernando #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/RPBpimxAsV
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) December 8, 2025

Mendoza’s mother, the former athlete and Miami Hurricanes tennis player, was unfortunately diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis back in 2014. Since then, Fernando has shown his unconditional love and support for his mother by consistently raising awareness of her disease, owing all his success to the strength he's gained from his parents.

𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚: Indiana superstar QB Fernando Mendoza's post-game interview has gone viral 😭😭

One of the greatest interviews you will ever see.pic.twitter.com/1Gcp3AE7XU
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) December 7, 2025

Fernando was full of cliches in his viral postgame interview after taking home a big win against Ohio State in the 2025 Big Ten Championship, marking the first such victory since 1967.

After being asked about the Hoosiers’ huge win post-game, Mendoza said the win felt beautiful and that he owes all his glory to God. While it was made fun of for being corny, seeing his mom's battle with MS gives him a pass.

Before joining the Hoosiers’ team, Mendoza played for Cal, where he partnered with different food chains, creating his own product line, using the proceeds to raise awareness about his mom's condition and fight against MS.

Mendoza continues to be a standout player both on and off the field, emerging as one of the most compelling and motivating college football stars to root for, especially given the inspiration story of his mother.

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