The Heisman winner didn’t credit a coach.
He didn’t credit a system.

He credited Caleb Williams.

And that says a lot about how quarterbacks influence each other at the highest level.

Fernando Mendoza Credits Caleb Williams for Shaping His Championship Run

Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza didn’t just win a national title.

He didn’t just win the Heisman Trophy.

He also revealed that part of his mental evolution came from watching Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams handle adversity.

That’s not a small admission.

Learning From Failure

Mendoza specifically pointed to Williams’ time at USC — particularly how he responded after early-season setbacks and delivered in one-score games.

“I believe a lot of that experience of failing, coming up so short has helped me… whenever we’ve gone behind, we dug ourselves in a hole… and be able to learn from those failures and make those successes.”

For Mendoza, watching Williams navigate pressure moments wasn’t just entertainment.

It was education.

The Penn State Drive

When Indiana needed him most, Mendoza delivered.

Down late against Penn State in November, he led a 73-yard drive that sealed a 27–24 win — one of the defining moments of Indiana’s undefeated season.

That kind of composure doesn’t happen accidentally.

It’s built through experience — and sometimes borrowed perspective.

The USC Blueprint

Williams built his college résumé on clutch performances.

In 2022 against Notre Dame, he went 18-of-22 for 232 yards in a statement win that propelled him to the Heisman.

That late-game DNA followed him to Chicago.

A game-winning 17-yard rushing TD vs. the Giants
A 16-point comeback against Green Bay
A 46-yard touchdown strike to DJ Moore to force OT

Those are franchise moments.

And Mendoza noticed.

Quarterbacks Study Quarterbacks

Elite passers don’t just train physically.

They study response.

They study demeanor.

They study how others react when the game tightens.

Mendoza saw Williams fail early — then grow stronger because of it.

And when Indiana faced Penn State, Oregon, and Iowa in tight spots, that lesson surfaced.

The NFL Collision Course

Now the storyline deepens.

Mendoza is widely projected to go No. 1 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft — possibly to the Raiders.

Williams is trying to establish himself as a top-10 quarterback in Chicago.

Their careers are now running parallel.

And one already influenced the other.

The Bigger Picture

There’s a subtle respect in Mendoza’s comments.

Not rivalry.

Not bravado.

Recognition.

In a league where every quarterback is chasing the same mountain, influence spreads quietly.

Williams inspired Mendoza in college.

Now Mendoza enters the NFL trying to build his own legacy.

And one day, they’ll meet again — this time with much more at stake.