Luis
Zendejas

Luis Fernando Zendejas was born October 22, 1961, in Michoacán, Mexico, and moved with his family to Chino, California, at a young age. The Zendejas family has a deep tradition of kicking, and Luis followed that path, playing soccer early before transitioning to football in high school. His success at Don Antonio Lugo High School—including powerful kicks and scoring consistency—earned him a scholarship to Arizona State University, where he’d etch his name into the Sun Devils' record books. At ASU, Zendejas was nearly unstoppable. He became the starting placekicker early and throughout his college career set multiple school records. In 1983, he made 28 field goals and scored 112 points, earning first-team All-Pac-10 and consensus All-American honors. By the time he graduated, he had posted a career scoring total of 368 points—an NCAA Division I record at the time—and converted nearly all of his extra point attempts with remarkable consistency. After college, Zendejas stepped into professional football across several leagues. He kicked for the Arizona Outlaws of the USFL, then had stints with the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles in the NFL. Later, he joined the Arizona Rattlers in the Arena Football League, where he helped lead the team to an ArenaBowl championship in 1994. He also spent time in the Canadian Football League before retiring from play. Beyond the field, Zendejas has remained a pillar of the Arizona sports community. Since 2001, he has served as the Director of Community Relations for the Arizona Cardinals, using his platform to support youth programs and community engagement initiatives. Arizona State has honored him with induction into its Sports Hall of Fame, ensuring his legacy endures as one of the most accomplished and respected kickers in Arizona football history.