Why Fernando Mendoza May Skip White House Visit with His Former Indiana Team

Fernando Mendoza and the Indiana Hoosiers football team
Credit: David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty

While his former teammates make the trip, Mendoza will be getting acclimated to the league as he prepares for his first NFL training camp later this summer.

“Out of all those great milestones, I’m really happy about these past two days because it’s back to football,” he said. “Really enjoyed college, the Hoosiers were able to end off on a high point, now it’s back to the bottom of the totem pole.”

Mendoza added, “Yesterday I was like, ‘Wow, I have a lot to work on.’ Everyone here in rookie camp, these are all really, really good players, so I need to elevate my level of play when we go to OTAs next week and training camp.”

Mendoza’s absence in D.C. comes after he recently chose to deviate from another tradition.

Last month, the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft stayed home in South Florida with family instead of attending the draft festivities in Pittsburgh.

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“Pittsburgh is a great opportunity and it’s a great venue, and I’m really excited to see all the guys or most of the guys walk across the stage on Thursday night,” Mendoza told Rich Eisen on SportsCenter three days before the draft. “However, my mom really wanted to do it at home and so did my parents, it’s a lot easier for us, especially with the family situation.”

When he was selected by the Raiders with the first pick, the quarterback embraced family members — including mom Elsa, who has multiple sclerosis — who had gathered together to celebrate the big moment.

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