When the Las Vegas Raiders made Fernando Mendoza the number one overall pick in this year's NFL Draft, they knew they were getting a proven winner. But even before he's taken a single snap in the silver and black, the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback is already making headlines off the field—this time involving a missed meeting with President Trump.
President Trump claimed this week that Mendoza is a "big fan" of his administration, despite the rookie quarterback not attending the White House celebration with his former Indiana University teammates on Monday. The event was held to honor the Hoosiers' national championship victory—a historic first for the program.
According to Trump, Mendoza even called the president personally to apologize for his absence. "He was so nice," Trump said. "He called because actually… he's a big fan of ours. You wouldn't believe it because he didn't show up. I'm not happy, but that's OK." The president then added with a nod to Mendoza's new team, "Fernando couldn't be here today because he's now a member of the Las Vegas Raiders. Let's see how good a team they have. I think he's going to do great. He's a winner."
Mendoza's absence wasn't a political statement—it was a rookie reality. The Raiders confirmed to the Las Vegas Review-Journal that Mendoza was at the team's facility in Henderson on Monday for preseason preparations. The quarterback himself had already addressed the scheduling conflict last week, telling reporters, "I'm on 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, and I want to best serve my teammates."
He's not alone in missing the White House visit. As The Athletic noted, several other Hoosiers sat out the event due to NFL obligations. Indiana sent a program-record eight players to the league this year, and Mendoza is one of four national championship teammates now with the Raiders.
Trump and Mendoza first crossed paths at the national championship game in January, where Mendoza led the undefeated Hoosiers to a thrilling 27-21 victory—securing Indiana's first national title in program history. Trump received a thunderous reception at that game, and now Raiders fans are hoping Mendoza can bring some of that same magic to a franchise hungry for a return to glory.
For now, the rookie is focused on earning his stripes on the practice field, not the political stage. And if his work ethic is any indication, those Raiders jerseys with "Mendoza" on the back might just become the hottest item in town.