Roger Goodell, boos and a terrible NFL Draft omen for the Raiders and Fernando Mendoza originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Roger Goodell will be booed before he announces the Las Vegas Raiders' (presumed) pick of Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza in the No. 1 overall spot of the 2026 NFL Draft.
That's normal, but a look back at Goodell's draft history has a bad omen for the Raiders.
You have to go back to Goodell's first draft as the NFL's commissioner. It was 2007, and the Oakland Raiders were on the clock with the first pick.
MORE: The full origin story of ESPN's NFL Draft pick chime
This will be Roger Goodell’s 20th NFL draft as the commissioner - and his 16th consecutive year of being booed. The first pick that Goodell announced was in 2007, when the Raiders used the No. 1 overall selection on JaMarcus Russell. pic.twitter.com/7kslQLw3ZE
MORE: NFL Draft pick trade value chart shows how deals are made
Now to be totally clear, there's no way that a pick 19 years ago has any bearing on how Mendoza turns out for the Raiders.
He grew into a surefire NFL prospect in his time with the Hoosiers, and he'll get every chance to succeed with the Raiders -- who even brought in veteran mentor Kirk Cousins to help along the way.
But long-time fans of the Raiders surely wouldn't mind not having to think too much about Russell (sorry about that). He's not exactly a good memory for the franchise.
There's no reason to think that Mendoza will be a bust.
But 19 years ago, there was Goodell for the first time, getting booed and announcing Russell's name. The rest is history.
Does this NFL Draft have a 'Shedeur Sanders'?
How A.J. Brown trade rumors matter to Patriots' 2026 NFL Draft
The scary truth with Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith
Aaron Rodgers looms over Steelers with NFL Draft in Pittsburgh