Well, who would have thought that an off-hand film study remark from Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza would spark a narrative he never signed up for? After taking down Purdue, Indiana entered the Big 10 championship game against Ohio State. But his praise ahead of the game for Caleb Downs gets twisted into a viral comparison with Tom Brady. Backlash was so swift that national reporter James Boyd had to come in to support him.

“This is a perfect example of why so many athletes don’t trust the media because if you interpreted this answer as #iufb QB Fernando Mendoza comparing himself to Tom Brady and #Buckeyes safety Caleb Downs to Ed Reed—you are being completely disingenuous,” The Athletic’s James Boyd said on X.

This bold remark came in right after Indiana’s quarterback, Fernando Mendoza, was praising Buckeyes safety Caleb Downs before their Big 10 championship game. And he ended up drawing a parallel to how former Patriots QB Tom Brady did before going up against Ravens safety Ed Reed. But somehow the media thought Mendoza was comparing him and Downs to them.

“Whenever I’m watching film, the way that he will to rotate down affect the run game, the way that he’s able to match, whether it’s zone or man and lock down that receiver, or the way that he’s able to flip his hips and drive on a seam ball, or just any ball in general, is truly special.” Fernando Mendoza said. “You’re always trying to evaluate the safeties, and that’s a big part of the structure of the defense, and that’s why you always hear Tom Brady talking about Ed Reed so much, because that was a great safety that he played against.”

Well, Mendoza’s excitement to go up against Caleb Downs makes sense, as he is solid in coverage and is a very reliable open-field tracker, which is an add-on to the defense. This season, Downs recorded 52 tackles with 5 tackles for loss with 2 interceptions, and six run stops. Back in October, the Safety only allowed 21 yards to receivers he had covered and didn’t allow a single touchdown. QBs have an average of 27.4 passer rating when they target the receiver Downs covered.

Now, you know why Mendoza is so high on Downs, in the same way Brady used to be on Reed.  Back in 2009, when the Patriots won against the Ravens with a 27-21 score, quarterback Tom Brady praised Ed Reed, as his unmatched instincts and ball-hawking ability were something that used to change every team’s game plan. Brady acknowledged his excellence before the game, just like Fernando Mendoza did with Caleb Downs.

“I was hoping that he’d take this week off,” Brady said. “He’s tough back there on quarterbacks. It feels like he leads the league in interceptions every year, which is tough to do when every team goes into the game thinking that we’re not throwing Ed Reed interceptions. And he does. He just makes some spectacular plays.”

It wasn’t just that he used to wear a wristband that read “find 20 on every play,” which was Reed’s jersey number, before facing him. He always used to praise his ability to know specifically where the ball was going and how he was always in the right place. So, there were no direct comparisons, but the media still twisted the entire scenario.

With the controversies aside, Mendoza also has some positive updates, joining forces with one of the leading brands in the sports world.

Fernando Mendoza cracks a massive NIL deal

The Indiana Hoosiers look all prepared to take down No. 1-ranked Ohio State. Their success mainly relies on quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who remains a leading Heisman Trophy contender and a projected top pick in the 2026 NFL draft.

But ahead of their Saturday title showdown, Mendoza made a major off-field announcement about his new partnership with Adidas. The deal places him alongside top Adidas NIL athletes like Travis Hunter, Jeremiah Smith, Micah Parsons, and Patrick Mahomes.

Mendoza announced his partnership on both his Instagram and LinkedIn accounts.

“Excited to share that I’ve accepted an opportunity to join Adidas. I’m very grateful for everyone who has supported me along the way and excited to bring my passion for sport, leadership, and work ethic to the Three Stripes,” Mendoza said.

With the Adidas deal, Mendoza’s $2.6 million NIL valuation will get a major push. Well, his remarkable season made it possible for him, as he recorded 2,758 yards with 32 touchdowns with a 72% completion rate and just five interceptions. Now, let’s wait and see if Mendoza can transition the same excellence against the Buckeyes or not.