Fernando Mendoza To Skip White House Visit

Fernando Mendoza, the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s NFL draft, won’t be making the traditional White House trip with his former college teammates.

The Indiana University football team is set to visit Washington, D.C., on May 11, continuing the long-standing championship tradition. But Mendoza — fresh off a Heisman Trophy, a national title and the whirlwind of becoming the top pick — is choosing a different path: getting to work.

When asked if he’d join the visit, Mendoza pointed to what he believed was a scheduling conflict with the Las Vegas Raiders’ organized team activities. He said he couldn’t afford to miss practice as a rookie trying to establish himself. The only problem? The Raiders’ OTAs don’t actually begin until May 18, a week after the White House visit.

Still, the message behind his decision was clear.

“I’m on the bottom of the totem pole here. I’ve got to prove myself,” Mendoza told reporters Saturday. “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 want to try to best serve my teammates, and I don’t know if that’d be accomplishing that goal.”

Whether it’s a mix-up or just a convenient out, Mendoza isn’t lingering in the glow of his college success. The spotlight has already shifted, and so has his mindset.

After months of hype, celebrations and career-defining moments, Mendoza sounded most excited about something far less glamorous: getting back on the field.

“Out of all those great milestones, I’m really happy about these past two days,” Mendoza said, via the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “Because it’s back to football.”

For Mendoza, the next chapter has already started — and he’s not wasting time looking back.

See social media’s reactions to the decision below.