Fernando Mendoza reveals his priorities as Indiana White House visit looms: ‘Don’t think that’s a good look’
Fernando Mendoza, the former Indiana quarterback and No. 1 overall NFL draft pick by the Raiders, initially expressed concern about attending the Indiana Hoosiers' White House visit due to a perceived conflict with rookie OTA practices. He stated that missing practice as a rookie would not be a good look and emphasized his commitment to his new team. However, it was later clarified that the White House visit on May 11 does not conflict with the Raiders' OTA schedule, which begins May 18.
- ▪Fernando Mendoza was drafted No. 1 overall by the Las Vegas Raiders less than two weeks before the White House visit.
- ▪Mendoza initially believed the White House visit conflicted with the first day of Raiders OTAs, which he thought was May 11.
- ▪The actual start date for Raiders OTAs is May 18, meaning Mendoza is free to attend the White House event.
- ▪Mendoza helped lead Indiana to a 16-0 season and its first national championship in 2025.
- ▪He won the Heisman Trophy, throwing for 41 touchdowns and 3,535 yards during the season.
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NFL Fernando Mendoza reveals his priorities as Indiana White House visit looms: ‘Don’t think that’s a good look’ By Jake Nisse Published May 3, 2026, 4:20 p.m. ET The Indiana Hoosiers’ White House visit is quickly approaching, but Fernando Mendoza is focused on his new job. The former Indiana quarterback, who was drafted No. 1 overall less than two weeks by the Raiders, was asked about attending the school’s scheduled White House visit on May 11. Mendoza replied that he was prepared to miss the White House visit, believing that it fell on the first day of OTAs and that he was at the “bottom of the totem pole” as a rookie. “I can’t miss practice. … As a rookie, I don’t think that’s a good look,” he said.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at New York Post.
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