Fernando Mendoza Explains Why He’s Skipping White House Visit After National Championship Win

Fernando Mendoza, the first round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft who is now the new quarterback for the Las Vegas Raiders, has revealed he will not visit the White House with his college teammates.

The Indiana Hoosiers are set to visit Donald Trump‘s White House on May 11 after winning the National Championship game earlier this year against the Miami Hurricanes.

“If it is on the first day of OTAs [organized team activities], like I said, I’m on the bottom of the totem pole here. I gotta prove myself,” the 22-year-old said in a new statement. “I can’t miss practice.”

He added, “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 know if that’d be accomplishing that goal.”

There are many players who choose to boycott or skip visits to the White House for a variety of reasons. Some might be political, while others have had other conflicts over the years.

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