Fernando Mendoza becomes the third Latino ever to win the Heisman Trophy

Fernando Mendoza, the quarterback for the Indiana University Hoosiers, is the 2025 Heisman Trophy winner, the award given to the most outstanding player in college football.

During the ceremony, he thanked both his mother and father, referring to his mother as “mami” and calling her his “biggest supporter” throughout his journey. 

At the end of his Heisman speech, Mendoza addressed his grandparents, Alberto and Alicia Espinoza, in Spanish. “And for my grandparents…Por el amor y el sacrificio de mis padres y abuelos, los quiero mucho. Desde todo mi corazón les doy las gracias.” (For the love and sacrifice of my parents and grandparents, I love you a lot. From all my heart, I thank you.)

Mendoza is of Cuban ethnicity, with all four of his grandparents born and raised in Cuba before immigrating to the U.S. He grew up in Miami, where there is a large Cuban-American population, and has openly spoken of his heritage with pride. In an interview with NBC Sports, he described a family trip to Cuba as “transformative.” He expressed gratitude to his grandparents for coming to the United States, which allowed his family to have better opportunities.

There have only been three Heisman Trophy winners of Latino or Hispanic descent. Jim Plunkett became the first Latino recipient in 1970. A Stanford quarterback, Plunkett was also the first Heisman winner of Mexican American heritage.

In 2021, Bryce Young won the Heisman Trophy while playing for the University of Alabama Crimson Tide. He is of mixed heritage and has Mexican ancestry. He was later selected first overall by the Carolina Panthers in the 2023 National Football League draft.

Mendoza is now the first Cuban-American winner and third Latino to be selected for the recognition. He is also making history as the first player in Indiana program history to receive the honor. Mendoza transferred from the University of California to Indiana in December 2024 and in his first year, he led the Hoosiers to an undefeated regular season (13-0), a Big Ten championship, and the program's first-ever No. 1 ranking and College Football Playoff berth.