Fernando Mendoza has shared the touching personal reason he will not be attending the NFL Draft in person.
The quarterback is widely considered the nailed-on No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft after leading Indiana to a historic national championship in January.
However, the signal caller will not be in Pittsburgh on Thursday when the Las Vegas Raiders are expected to select him with the top pick.
Instead, the 22-year-old will watch the big night unfold from his home in Miami surrounded by friends and family.
The Heisman Trophy winner has now revealed that the decision was fueled by his consideration of his loved ones, specifically his mother, Elsa.
‘Pittsburgh is a great opportunity and it’s a great venue, and I’m really excited to see most of the guys walk across the stage on Thursday night,’ Mendoza said on the Rich Eisen Show.
Fernando Mendoza has shared the personal reason he will not be attending the NFL Draft
Mendoza’s mother, Elsa, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis around 18 years ago
‘It’d be a dream for a lot of guys, however, my mom really wanted to do it at home, and so did my parents. It was a lot easier for us, especially with the family situation, and I would have to hop on a plane the next morning anyways. For that travel, it would be a lot easier to stay at home.’
Elsa was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis around 18 years ago. Her battle took a ‘downhill’ turn when she was diagnosed with Covid-19.
However, while the Mendoza family will not be celebrating in Pittsburgh, the quarterback insisted that they will still be throwing a party down in South Florida.
He touchingly admitted that he wanted to be surrounded by those who had supported him throughout his journey.
‘I wanted to stay and make the memory with everybody who poured into my football journey,’ Mendoza said.
‘Mentors, coaches, family, friends – to be able to share that moment with all of them, is going to be the best memory that I can make, rather than limiting it to 10 or 12 people in Pittsburgh.’
The quarterback is widely expected to be selected by the Las Vegs Raiders with the No. 1 pick
While Mendoza is expected to head to Sin City, his NFL future was cast in doubt last week.
Speculation has been rumbling for months that the Raiders could be open to trading that top pick for the right offer and after some cryptic comments by GM John Spytek, it doesn’t sound like the door is completely closed on that possibility.
Speaking at a press conference before the draft in Pittsburgh, Spytek said teams had contacted them about the availability of the top pick.
‘We’ve gotten a few calls, and those teams know where they stand,’ Spytek told reporters, as per ESPN.
