Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza offered praise to God after being drafted as the top selection in the NFL Draft on Thursday, the same day he launched a new fund to benefit the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. 

After being selected as the No. 1 overall pick by the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday night, Mendoza reflected on his athletic accomplishments in an interview with ESPN.

“The last five months have been such a blessing by God, and I can’t thank Him enough,” Mendoza, who led Indiana University to its first College Football Playoff National Championship victory in January, said. 

Mendoza’s entry into the NFL coincided with the launch of the Mendoza Family Fund, a partnership with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society announced Thursday. Mendoza's mother, Elsa, has battled multiple sclerosis for over 18 years. 

The stated purpose of the partnership is to “unite fundraising efforts by the family, their partners, and supporters nationwide to fund cutting-edge research, programs and services to ensure no family faces MS alone.” 

So far, the Mendoza Family Fund has raised $360,000 through do-it-yourself fundraising, and Mendoza has committed $500,000 to the National MS Society to fund MS research at the University of Miami Health System and the Miller School of Medicine.

"This fund is about my mom and the millions of people living with MS," said Mendoza in a statement. "My mom has taught our family strength, resilience, and positivity. My brothers Alberto and Max, my dad, and I — we've all learned from her example. She's the reason we fight, and the reason we believe we can do something bigger than ourselves."

Mendoza has often touted his Catholic faith throughout his collegiate career.

A profile of Mendoza, compiled based on his appearance on the Heisman Trophy Podcast late last year, notes that his “spirituality is woven into everything,” adding, “He prays the Rosary every Friday, listens to online Mass before games, and avoids hype music to stay grounded.” Mendoza also discussed his mother’s battle with multiple sclerosis, identifying her as his “inspiration.” 

“There’s still no cure,” he said about multiple sclerosis. “We’re praying for one every day.” 

After winning the Heisman Trophy, the top individual award in college football, Mendoza thanked God in his acceptance speech "for giving me the opportunity to chase a dream that once felt a world away.”  

In a postgame interview after the Hoosiers beat the University of Miami in the national championship, Mendoza again gave God "all the glory and thanks."

Fr. Patrick Hyde, who serves as a Catholic chaplain at Indiana University, vouched for the authenticity of Mendoza’s faith in an X post published late last year.

“Fernando Mendoza backs up his talk on TV by giving glory to God at Sunday Mass,” Hyde wrote. “I have wrestled with sharing this because he shows up out of love for God, not human praise. But I share because [I] hope his witness inspires others to go to Mass.” 

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