Indiana football recruited quarterback Fernando Mendoza in the transfer portal, and he won the Heisman Trophy on the way to leading the Hoosiers to a national championship.
Mendoza has since selected No. 1 overall by the Las Vegas Raiders in the 2026 NFL Draft, and reportedly stands to make $54.5 million over four years in his first contract.
Front Office Sports recently asked Mendoza when he would start sending a piece of that windfall to Bloomington to maintain its sudden rise into college football relevance.
Buy IU football championship merch
“To be completely honest, not at the moment,” Mendoza said with a chuckle. “I haven’t signed my Raiders contract yet. I mean I’m definitely going to consider it in the future.”
Mendoza said he has contributed to the University of Miami’s efforts to battle multiple sclerosis, which his mother has. Both his parents played sports for the Hurricanes, and he grew near that campus.
“That’s a cause that’s a little more dear to my heart, to be honest, than the transfer portal,” he said.
Reaction to Fernando Mendoza’s comments on Indiana football
IU fans largely understand where Mendoza is coming from.
Want more Hoosiers coverage? Sign up for IndyStar’s Hoosiers newsletter. Listen to Mind Your Banners, our IU Athletics-centric podcast, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Watch the latest on IndyStar TV: Hoosiers.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Why Fernando Mendoza isn’t contributing to Indiana football NIL efforts
Reporting by Scott Horner, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Scott Horner, Indianapolis Star | USA TODAY Network
