Is Alberto Mendoza Fernando Mendoza’s brother? Inside the family connection behind Georgia Tech’s rising quarterback

Fernando and Alberto Mendoza are brothers? (Getty Images)

Alberto Mendoza arrived at Georgia Tech this season carrying a last name that college football fans already know well. His older brother Fernando Mendoza won the Heisman Trophy last year at Indiana, then went first overall to the Las Vegas Raiders in the 2026 NFL Draft. Now Alberto, no longer playing second fiddle in Bloomington, is Georgia Tech's starting quarterback. The two are brothers, yes. But the real story runs deeper than that.

Yes, they are. Both grew up in Miami, Florida, and both played quarterback at Christopher Columbus High School in Westchester before eventually sharing a backfield at Indiana University.Their father, Fernando Mendoza Sr., is a physician at Nicklaus Children's Hospital in Miami. Before medicine, he played alongside current Miami head coach Mario Cristobal at Columbus High School, then rowed at Brown University. In 1987, he won a gold medal at the Junior World Rowing Championships. Their mother Elsa, also from Miami, played tennis and earned two degrees. The household ran on discipline and competition. That much is obvious when you look at what both sons became.Fernando was first. He finished his high school career with 2,222 passing yards and 29 touchdowns, completing 67.5 percent of his throws.

Alberto followed him and did one better, posting a 26-2 record as starter and winning back-to-back state championships in 2022 and 2023. Same school, same position, same family. Different paths to get there.The family also has a younger son, Max, who attended Columbus High but has set his sights on broadcasting rather than football.

Playing behind your Heisman-winning brother sounds like a dream setup, until you want to actually start.Alberto originally committed to James Madison University before switching to Indiana to play for coach Curt Cignetti. Fernando had already made his way to Bloomington from California, and the two ended up on the same roster. They became the first brothers in a decade to throw touchdown passes in the same game for one team.Fernando had a season that most quarterbacks never come close to. He completed 273 of 379 passes for 3,535 yards, threw 41 touchdowns against six interceptions, and added 440 rushing yards and seven scores on the ground. Indiana won the national championship. Fernando declared for the draft. He signed a four-year, fully guaranteed $57.27 million rookie contract with the Raiders.Alberto's numbers were solid for a backup. In nine games, he completed 18 of 24 passes for 286 yards, five touchdowns, and one interception, while adding 190 rushing yards and a score on the ground. But when Indiana brought in TCU transfer Josh Hoover to compete for the starting job, the writing was on the wall.

Alberto transferred to Georgia Tech, where he is now the guy under center with no famous brother behind him.It is a fair question whether Alberto has lived in Fernando's shadow a little too long for anyone to evaluate him properly. Georgia Tech gives him a clean slate. This season will be the first real chance fans get to see what Alberto Mendoza is actually capable of when the last name is the only thing he is carrying.