NEWYou can now listen to PK Press Club articles!
Fernando Mendoza, the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, took some time from the Las Vegas Raiders to twirl his tassel and perhaps show off his arm by tossing his cap at a graduation ceremony this weekend.
But it wasn’t at Indiana’s opening ceremony — he returned to Cal.
Mendoza, who missed a visit to the White House with his Hoosiers teammates earlier this month to focus on his time with his new NFL team, was part of Cal’s MBA commencement ceremony Saturday after missing their undergraduate ceremony last Wednesday.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON PK Press Club
Fernando Mendoza looks for success during the Las Vegas Raiders rookie minicamp at the team’s headquarters in Henderson, Nevada on May 2, 2026. (David Becker/Getty Images)
Once again, Mendoza didn’t want to leave his Raiders teammates, but Jenny Chatman, dean of Cal’s Haas School of Business, made an exception for the man who graduated from Cal.
During the ceremony, Chatman paused to share his surprise that Mendoza was able to take the stage to receive his undergraduate degree.
TOM BRADY MAKES JOKES ABOUT ‘CRANKY’ BILL BELICHICK, JETS, ELI MANNING IN MOTIVATIONAL START SPEECH
“We have a Haas undergraduate who was unable to attend the commencement on Wednesday, so I hope you don’t mind that I invited this person to our MBA commencement,” Chatman told the crowd. “In fact, he had a very good excuse for missing the start. He used his skills and his Haas lessons to negotiate a great job and a great competition package.
“But he couldn’t change his start date when he had to report to his new job, so can you help me welcome Las Vegas Raider, Heisman Trophy winner, Haas graduate and Cal Bear forever, Fernando Mendoza.”
The surprise brought many cheers for Mendoza who, as always, had a bright smile on his face as he walked across the stage and accepted his diploma in business administration and management.
Mendoza earned this degree while enrolled in a master’s program at Indiana in 2025.
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza warms up during a rookie minicamp at the Intermountain Health Performance Center in Henderson, Nevada, May 2, 2026. (Candice Ward/Imagn Images)
Meanwhile, tackling two workloads at two different schools, Mendoza also led the Hoosiers to a historic undefeated season under head coach Curt Cignetti, ultimately leading to a national championship victory in his hometown of Miami against his hometown Hurricanes.
It was during the undefeated season that Mendoza established himself as the best quarterback in this year’s draft, and the Raiders, a team desperate for a quarterback of the future, confirmed all predictions that he would be first overall last month.
Now he’s focused on how he can impact his new franchise, whether he starts or not. Veteran Kirk Cousins is also on the quarterback depth chart in “Sin City,” and new head coach Klint Kubiak mentioned the ideal scenario in which Cousins starts Week 1, with Mendoza developing and learning behind him before taking over at center.
It’s because of that focus that Mendoza said he wouldn’t join his Hoosier teammates in the nation’s capital for a White House ceremony celebrating their national championship.
President Donald Trump revealed that Mendoza called him and they had a conversation.
Quarterback Fernando Mendoza, selected as the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft by the Las Vegas Raiders, attends a news conference at Raiders headquarters in Henderson, Nevada, April 24, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE PK Press Club APP
“He called me and explained to me why he couldn’t be here,” Trump told the group at the White House during the ceremony.
“If he wasn’t here for any other reason. If he didn’t like Trump, I wouldn’t have mentioned him for any other reason. I like him, he’s actually a big fan of what we do… Fernando couldn’t be here today because he’s now a member of the Las Vegas Raiders. I hope he does good.”
