HENDERSON, NEVADA - MAY 02: Fernando Mendoza #15 of the Las Vegas Raiders attends a news conference after the team's rookie minicamp at the Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters/Intermountain Health Performance Center on May 02, 2026 in Henderson, Nevada. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)

As a result of winning the 2026 National Championship, Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza, along with the rest of the Indiana football team, is invited to visit the White House on May 11 in Washington, D.C., The Herald-Times’ Michael Niziolek reported on May 1st.

“Indiana football sets White House visit for May 11, a long-standing tradition for national champions,” Niziolek tweeted. “The Hoosiers are hoping to bring as many players from 2025 team as they can, even as they are now obviously all over the country.”

However, Mendoza sent a clear message about his thoughts on potentially joining his former squad to visit the White House.

Raiders QB Fernando Mendoza Sends Message on White House Visit

Fernando Mendoza’s mentality is solely focused on the Raiders now, and he believes joining Indiana on its visit to the White House wouldn’t be a good look.

“I gotta prove myself,” Mendoza said due to the first day of Raiders OTA practice being on the same day as the scheduled White House visit. “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’d be accomplishing that goal.”

It’s the right mentality to have, even if he’s the No. 1 pick. That doesn’t mean Mendoza has time to slack off, and he knows that every practice counts.

Mendoza Comments on Klint Kubiak

Despite being new in a complicated system that head coach Klint Kubiak is in the process of implementing, Fernando Mendoza believes he’s already making strides in learning the offensive system.

“He won a Super Bowl last year so I saw a lot of him…When I was drafted and got here, I was able to get the playbook,” Mendoza said. “However, going now to be in the facility and have access to the film and see the application, see Kirk Cousins do it in Minnesota, see Sam Darnold do it last year in Seattle… how it’s supposed to be executed when it’s done at a high level, has really been beneficial for my development. Coming from day 1, just seeing it on paper, to day 2, last night with coaches, really studying… that’s how their footwork and eyes looked, so can we put it on the field today, and I think we did.”

There’s a lot to look forward to with Mendoza in a Raiders uniform, but even he knows he still has a long way to go in terms of mastering the playbook and learning how to play under center. But with a “great teacher” in Kubiak, it’s going to make the learning curve easier.

“To have such a genius offensive mind running such a coherent and complementary system is a really good place and really good situation to be in as a quarterback,” Mendoza said.

Some of the rookies already praised Mendoza, with rookie offensive lineman Trey Zuhn III saying, “He’s just a guy’s guy and a great leader,” and defensive back Treydan Stukes adding, “He is a super funny guy. It’s been so much fun sitting next to him in the locker room.”

Regardless of what his teammates and coaches think of him, Mendoza must continue working hard to live up to the expectation that he’ll become the franchise QB the Raiders have been long searching for.