Fernando Mendoza helped Indiana football become a national champion, won the Heisman Trophy, and eventually emerged as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Despite a lucrative NFL contract awaiting him, here’s why the Las Vegas Raiders rookie quarterback isn’t contributing to the Hoosiers’ NIL efforts.
Fernando Mendoza Reveals Why Indiana Football NIL Isn’t His Priority
In an interview with Front Office Sports, Mendoza was asked whether he plans to contribute financially to Indiana’s NIL collective ahead of landing a four-year, $57.2 million rookie contract with the Raiders.
The quarterback admitted that it isn’t currently part of his plans, adding that while he could revisit the idea down the road, his immediate focus is adjusting to life in the NFL.
“To be completely honest, not at the moment. I haven’t even signed my Raiders contract yet,” Mendoza said. “I’m definitely going to consider it in the future. However, as of now, I’m trying to focus on Raiders football.”
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Earlier this offseason, Mendoza launched the Mendoza Family Fund and donated $500,000 to the University of Miami Health System and Miller School of Medicine to advance multiple sclerosis research. The initiative partners with the National MS Society and was inspired by his mother’s battle with the disease.
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“I love to give back. Actually, I did give a donation to the University of Miami as their part in trying to fight MS,” Mendoza added. “That’s a cause that’s a little bit more dear to my heart, to be completely honest, more than the transfer portal.”
In April, Mendoza had launched the fund via a press release ahead of the draft day.
“This fund is about my mom and the millions of people living with MS,” Mendoza stated. “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,” the release added. “Together, we can bring us closer to a cure and a future free of MS.”
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As for Mendoza at the Raiders, the biggest storyline in the upcoming seasons will be how Las Vegas manages the rookie quarterback with Kirk Cousins.
With an offense that posted a 56.3 PFSN Offense Impact score in 2025, which ranked second-worst in the league, and a defense that ranked 21st on PFSN’s Defense Impact Metric, the Raiders finished 3-14.
Las Vegas went after Mendoza as the No. 1 overall pick in the draft as a means of rebuilding the team. They will be tasked with turning the reigning Heisman Trophy winner into a franchise quarterback, and they signed Cousins to mentor the rookie.
Cousins played 10 games for the Atlanta Falcons last season, throwing for 1,721 yards and 10 touchdowns with five interceptions. He led the Falcons to a 5-3 record in his eight starts and was ranked 30th in the NFL with an impact score of 70.9 last season, per PFSN’s QB Impact Metric.
The 37-year-old veteran is likely to start the season and act as a bridge as the Raiders take their time with introducing Mendoza to the big stage, even though many believe he could be a Day 1 starter.
