Fernando Mendoza may skip the Indiana Hoosiers' visit to the White House
NEED TO KNOW
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The Las Vegas Raiders rookie has training camp on the same day, he told reporters
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Mendoza led Indiana to a national championship over the Miami Hurricanes in January
Fernando Mendozais being mindful of the optics.The rookie Las Vegas Raiders quarterback told reporters over the weekend that he’ll likely turn down the invitation to the White House when his former team, the Indiana Hoosiers, visit next week.“If it is on the first day of OTAs [organized team activities], like I said, I’m on the bottom of the totem pole here. I gotta prove myself,” Mendoza, 22,said on Saturday, May 2. “I can’t miss practice.”He added, “As a rookie, I don’t think that’s a good look. I want to try to best serve my teammates and I don't know if that'd be accomplishing that goal.”The Hoosiers, who won the national championship against the Miami Hurricanes in January,are scheduled to visitthe White House on Monday, May 11.
While his former teammates make the trip, Mendoza will be getting acclimated to the league as he prepares for his first NFL training camp later this summer.“Out of all those great milestones, I’m really happy about these past two days because it’s back to football,” he said. “Really enjoyed college, the Hoosiers were able to end off on a high point, now it’s back to the bottom of the totem pole.”
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Mendoza added, “Yesterday I was like, ‘Wow, I have a lot to work on.’ Everyone here in rookie camp, these are all really, really good players, so I need to elevate my level of play when we go to OTAs next week and training camp.”Mendoza’s absence in D.C. comes after he recently chose to deviate from another tradition.
Last month, the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft stayed home in South Florida with family instead of attending the draft festivities in Pittsburgh.Follow your favorite athletes on and off the field withPEOPLE's free sports newsletter— sign up now!“Pittsburgh is a great opportunity and it’s a great venue, and I’m really excited to see all the guys or most of the guys walk across the stage on Thursday night,” Mendozatold Rich Eisen onSportsCenterthree days before the draft. “However, my mom really wanted to do it at home and so did my parents, it’s a lot easier for us, especially with the family situation.”When he was selected by the Raiders with the first pick, the quarterback embraced family members — including mom Elsa, who has multiple sclerosis — who had gathered together to celebrate the big moment.
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