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Fernando Mendoza reveals why he will not visit White House with Indiana following National Championship win

Danby: Daniel Hager05/02/26DanielHagerOn3

Following its historic 2025 season, in which it finished with an unblemished 16-0 record and won the first College Football Playoff National Championship in program history, Indiana will visit the White House on May 11. TheHoosier.com first reported the news on Friday.

Visiting the White House following a championship victory has been a tradition for American sports teams for decades. The 2025 Indiana Hoosiers are no different, and will get their chance to tour the White House and celebrate the title once more on that date.

However, it appears as if Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza will not be joining his former teammates on the visit. Mendoza was selected with the No. 1 overall pick by the Las Vegas Raiders in the 2026 NFL Draft. He revealed why he won’t be making the trip on Saturday.

“I believe May 11th is the first day of OTA’s, if I’m not mistaken,” Mendoza said. “If it is on the first day of OTA’s, I’m on the bottom of the totem pole here. I’ve got to prove myself. I can’t miss practice. I don’t have the calendar, but as a rookie, I don’t think that’s a good look. I’ve got to try and best serve my teammates, and I don’t think that would be accomplishing that goal.”

Raiders OTA’s actually begin on the following week, May 18. They then run from May 20-21, May 26, May 28-29, and June 1-4. Mendoza is present at this week’s Raiders rookie minicamp, which takes place from May 1-3. Taking part in all of the offseason activities he can will be crucial for the rookie quarterback, who is seemingly slotted in as Kirk Cousins‘ backup heading into OTA’s and mini-camp.

Fernando Mendoza announced $500,000 donation to National Multiple Sclerosis Society ahead of 2026 NFL Draft

Ahead of the NFL Draft, Mendoza made a generous $500,000 donation to The National Multiple Sclerosis Society. They have officially launched the Mendoza Family Fund, a partnership with Mendoza to accelerate progress toward a world free of multiple sclerosis (MS).

The $500,000 donation will go to University of Miami Health System and Miller School of Medicine, where they continue to seek a cure for the disease. Mendoza’s mother, Elsa, has lived with MS for nearly 20 years. She became a star during Mendoza’s rise to prominence at Indiana and was frequently shown on the broadcast cheering for her son.

“This fund is about my mom and the millions of people living with MS,” Mendoza said, via a press release. “My mom has taught our family strength, resilience, and positivity. My brothers Alberto and Max, my dad, and I – we’ve all learned from her example. She’s the reason we fight, and the reason we believe we can do something bigger than ourselves.

“Partnering with the National MS Society through the Mendoza Family Fund gives us the opportunity to turn that inspiration into real impact by advancing groundbreaking research and helping families like mine navigate this disease. Together, we can bring us closer to a cure and a future free of MS.”