The national champion Indiana football team will be honored at the White House on May 11.
But star quarterback Fernando Mendoza is unlikely to join his former teammates that day in Washington.
That’s because he’ll be attending the first day of OTA workouts with the Las Vegas Raiders, who selected Mendoza with the first overall pick in last month’s NFL draft.
Mendoza says he doesn’t want to get off on the wrong foot.
"I'm on the bottom of totem pole here; I gotta prove myself," Mendoza said. "I can't, I can't miss practice. I mean … as a rookie. I don't think that's a good look, and I want to best serve my teammates, and I don’t know if that would be accomplishing that goal."
Mendoza led the Hoosiers past the University of Miami in the championship game in January, capping a 16-0 season. He was one of eight IU players drafted.
It’s been a long-standing tradition for the teams that win their sport’s championship to visit the White House.
The 1976 Indiana basketball team was the first NCAA men’s champions to be honored at the White House.
