Fernando Mendoza called Trump ahead of Indiana football's White House visit

WASHINGTON — Former Indiana football quarterback Fernando Mendoza RSVP'd directly to the White House. According to President Donald Trump, Mendoza called the President last week to tell him he wouldn’t be able to attend the event at the White House on Monday afternoon honoring IU football. “He’s a big fan of ours, but you wouldn’t believe it because he didn’t show up,” Trump joked on the South Lawn.

“I’m not happy, but that’s OK, the reason he didn't is because he’s at spring training…like his first day or something, I said you better go there. ” More: Observations, starters and stats from Indiana football's 2026 spring game After going No. 1 overall to Raiders, Mendoza told reporters in Las Vegas last week he wouldn’t attend the event since it conflicted with his new team’s offseason training schedule.

"I believe May 11 is the first day of OTAs," Mendoza said. "I don't have the calendar. If it is on the first day of OTAs, I'm at the bottom of the totem poll, I've got to prove myself.

I can't miss practice. As a rookie I don't think that's a good look and I want to best serve my teammates. I don't know if I'd be accomplishing that goal.