The Indiana Hoosiers football team has set a date for their traditional visit to the White House, but quarterback Fernando Mendoza will not be joining them.
The Hoosiers are set to visit the White House on May 11 to be honored for winning the College Football Playoff. Mendoza, however, will not be making the trip with his former teammates. His reasoning is simple: he has OTAs that day.
“I believe May 11 is the first day of OTAs, if I’m not mistaken,” Mendoza said. “If it is on the first day of OTAs, I’m at the bottom of the totem pole here. I’ve got to prove myself. I can’t miss practice. As a rookie, I don’t think that’s a good look. I’m trying to best serve my teammates and I don’t know if that would be accomplishing my goal.”
“As a rookie, I don't think that's a good look. I can't miss practice."
— Vegas Sports Today (@VegasSportsTD) May 2, 2026
Raiders rookie QB Fernando Mendoza on visiting the White House with the Indiana Hoosiers.
🎥: @MikeDixon_VST #RaiderNation | #Raiders pic.twitter.com/hplAUZiuZl
Mendoza could no doubt get excused from a day of practice to travel to the White House with his college teammates if he wanted to. His new Raiders teammates would probably understand, and it isn’t as if he isn’t putting in the prep work. That he isn’t willing to do that, however, helps illustrate why the Raiders love him so much.
Mendoza is not guaranteed to start for the Raiders, who have brought in a veteran to hold down the fort to begin the season. The No. 1 pick is acting like he has to prove himself and win the job, and it doesn’t appear to be just for show, either.
