Fernando Mendoza responds to question of whether he'll visit White House
The Las Vegas Raiders just made history by selecting Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza with the #1 pick. Known for his "polite dork" energy, Mendoza is the literal opposite of the gritty, outlaw "Bad Boy" image the Raiders have cultivated forever.
Fernando Mendoza responded to a question Saturday about whether he will visit President Donald Trump at the White House to celebrate the Indiana Hoosiers' historic college football championship.
Mendoza said that he "believed" the scheduled date of the visit, May 11, was the first day of the Las Vegas Raiders' organized team activities (OTAs). But he was incorrect, as the Raiders' OTAs don't start until May 18.
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Quarterback Fernando Mendoza, selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft by the Las Vegas Raiders, attends a news conference at the Raiders Headquarters in Henderson, Nev., on April 24, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
"If it is on the first day of OTAs, like I said, I'm on the bottom of the totem pole here, I got to prove myself, I can't miss practice," Mendoza told reporters at a Raiders press conference on Saturday. "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 think that would be accomplishing that goal."
The Raiders don't have anything in their offseason program scheduled for May 11.
INDIANA'S FERNANDO MENDOZA WINS 2025 HEISMAN TROPHY
Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza looks on during warmups before the College Football Playoff National Championship game against the Miami Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, on Jan. 19, 2026. (Sam Navarro/Imagn Images)
Mendoza led Indiana to the college football championship


