In 2003, Fernandez was voted a member of the BC Lions All-Time Dream Team, at the wide receiver position, as part of the club's 50-year anniversary celebration.
[3] Fernandez was a standout wide receiver for Andrew Hill High School in San Jose, California, where he picked up his famous nickname "Swervin' Mervyn" from the team's quarterback.
In 2003, Fernandez was voted a member of the BC Lions All-Time Dream Team, at the wide receiver position, as part of the club's 50-year anniversary celebration.
[2] In November 2006, Fernandez was voted one of the CFL's top 50 players (#42) of the league's modern era by Canadian sports network TSN.
His son, Joe Fernandez, was a wide receiver at Fresno State University, who tried out but failed to make the final roster of the NFL's Seattle Seahawks in 2007.