It looks like God wanted to change Indiana’s football history, and QB Fernando Mendoza was born. The 22-year-old QB is a big business. And on “The Tonight Show” with Jimmy Fallon, he proved it.
Fernando Mendoza Literally Broke ‘Records’ at ‘The Tonight Show’ With Jimmy Fallon
After winning the Heisman Trophy and national championship for the Hoosiers, Mendoza broke the internet. And following his top performance in the CFP finals, the top 2026 NFL Draft prospect was invited on “The Tonight Show”.
On the show, when he entered the stage, first up, he hilariously cut Fallon’s monologue. It looked like it was a part of the script, right? But what Mendoza did after that was pure skill, showing the world again why he is the top potential NFL Draft pick and a national champion.
After a conversation with Mendoza, Fallon said, “Congratulations on a record-breaking season, and actually, since you’re here, how about we break more records?” and Mendoza went, “Let’s do it.” Then a trolley full of footballs came beside the stage to break the ‘records’.
Fallon briefed Mendoza about the task: “Here’s what we’re going to do. Okay, I’m going to throw these records in the air, and you’re going to throw footballs at them and see how many you can break in 30 seconds.” Then Mendoza hit eight records in the air in 30 seconds. With his appearance on the show, fans had an opportunity to see the funny side of the national champ.
Fresh off @IndianaFootball’s historic college football championship win, 2025 Heisman Trophy Winner Fernando Mendoza crashes Jimmy’s monologue to break some more records! #FallonTonight pic.twitter.com/FuzF2M5IKB
— The Tonight Show (@FallonTonight) January 23, 2026
Before quite literally breaking the records on Fallon’s show, the Big Ten MVP opened up about the final game and coach Cignetti.
“Well, we finally got our coach Cignetti to smile, so that was the biggest accomplishment,” he said with a smile. “No, but for real, Indiana’s been predominantly a basketball, and football’s been in purgatory for the longest time.
“And our team, with coach Cignetti, and a whole bunch of under-recruited guys, guys who have already been down their entire lives, now finally marked as national champions, it means the world to all of us.”
The Hoosiers went 16-0 in the 2025 NCAA football season and did not look back. For decades, Indiana has been predominantly known for basketball. From the Indiana Pacers of Reggie Miller to the Indiana Fever of Caitlin Clark, they have a rich basketball history. That stereotype was changed by Hoosiers in 2025.
However, this is not the end of the story; Mendoza is a potential top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
There’s a ‘But’ in Mendoza Emerging As Potential No. 1 Pick In 2026 NFL Draft
In the 2025 college football season, the 6’5” quarterback has recorded 41 touchdowns for 3,535 passing yards. He also completed throws with the highest level of efficiency. Means 72% of his throws were on the target, and receivers did not miss them.
Notably, his rushing touchdown in the CFP national championship was the winningest moment. In the fourth quarter, Mendoza had a 12-yard rushing touchdown when the clock was screaming 9:18, and they were four points ahead of the Miami Hurricanes. That moment captured what this QB is capable of.
Now, his NFL journey has begun. The Hoosiers’ QB is finally entering the realm of the NFL, which he has been focusing on since his high school days.
In his interviews, Mendoza described that preparation to get into the NFL in the future and giving more time to practice were the main reasons for not having a girlfriend in high school and in college also.
The hard work is now paying off. The Las Vegas Raiders, where Tom Brady is the minority owner, have a top pick at the 2026 NFL Draft, and Mendoza is expected to land there if things go as planned.
But senior analysts like Stephen A. Smith believe, “I don’t think the Raiders would be a good fit for anything.” It is a fact that the Raiders haven’t won a playoff game since 2002.
And their last two playoff appearances were disasters: one in 2016 and the latest in 2021. Also, in 2025, the Super Bowl-winning head coach, Pete Carroll, couldn’t snap the streak.
If that is the case and Mendoza considers that, it would hamper Vegas’ pick. However, that does not change Mendoza’s place in the 2026 NFL Draft. He is expected to be the top pick.
