Though Fernando Mendoza’s youngest brother, Max Mendoza, took admission at the same high school his elder brother attended, he’s unlikely to follow in his brother’s footsteps career-wise. A die-hard sports fan with no playing ambition, Max is instead eyeing a key role tied directly to the gridiron, and he earned a chance to show his mettle on the Today Show.

“The 14-year-old brother of Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza helps co-host the Today Show after they found out he wanted to work in television,” posted Collin Rugg, co-owner of Trending Politics, sharing a video clip that shows Max taking part in anchoring.

Fernando Mendoza was being interviewed about entering the NFL Draft when the crew of the Today Show asked about his brother’s interest in working in television, and the Heisman winner confirmed it. On The Today Show, Max was invited onto the set for the amazing opportunity, where he began reading from the teleprompter.

With confidence, Max began to co-host, opening with, “Coming up, a new music Friday features Harry Styles’ long-awaited return. We will check it out.”

It clearly showcased a future broadcaster in that young voice. While it may come as a surprise to many people, despite having a Heisman-winning brother, Max has shown no interest in pursuing a career as a football player. Instead, he wants to entertain football fans.

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The 14-year-old has even shared his taste in entertainment.

“I like entertainment like Jimmy Fallon, morning shows,” said the youngest brother of Fernando.

Max himself confirmed his broadcasting interests with sports journalist Kelsey Nicole Nelson in December 2025, while he was in New York City attending Fernando’s Heisman ceremony. The Indiana QB also mentioned his youngest brother’s contribution to his journey during his Heisman speech.

“To my little brother, Max, thank you for bringing joy to me and everyone around you. Your joy is infectious. Love you, bro,” said IU’s star QB.

Then, during the CFP national title game, ESPN mic’d up Fernando Mendoza’s little brother and got a reaction.

When Fernando scored the biggest TD of his life in the fourth quarter, the moment produced an all-time reaction from Max. He shouted, “Fernando! Friggin’! Mendoza!” into the microphone.

While the bond between them is strong, Max’s admission to Christopher Columbus High School earned praise from Fernando. Although Fernando was rated a three-star prospect at Christopher Columbus, his brother Alberto made waves, leading the school to back-to-back state titles in 2022 and 2023. Now, the future NFL star expects the youngest Mendoza to make waves as well.

“So proud of Max, and I’m really looking forward to seeing all the great things he does at Columbus,” said Fernando.

Although Max has interests beyond playing football, his confidence ensures a bright future, just like his brother, in whichever field he chooses. Now, while Fernando has declared for the NFL Draft, another brother, Alberto, is leaving Indiana.

Fernando Mendoza’s QB brother seeks a new home

The younger brother of Fernando Mendoza is moving on from the CFP national champions with three years of eligibility still on the table. With the Hoosiers coming off a perfect season, Alberto Mendoza is now searching for a bigger opportunity elsewhere.

IU’s backup QB Alberto Mendoza is entering the NCAA transfer portal.

While his departure was widely expected after IU landed former TCU starter Josh Hoover, the redshirt freshman flashed promise in limited action.

Alberto threw for 286 yards while completing 75% of his passes. To cap it off, he added 190 rushing yards, accounted for six total TDs, and appeared in nine games. While most of his snaps came in blowout wins during IU’s dominant 16–0 run, including brief action against Alabama in the CFP quarterfinals, Alberto looks ahead.

Now, ESPN’s No. 6-ranked transfer QB, Hoover, brings experience and a firm grip on Indiana’s starting job.

On the flip side, Alberto, with programs like Duke, Georgia Tech, and Stanford still in need of QBs, is setting the stage for his next chapter in 2026.