FERNANDO MENDOZA’S 41 TOUCHDOWNS AND 3,535 YARDS PROVE HE IS NFL-READY FOR 2026
"Open to Work." Fernando Mendoza announces his NFL Draft decision after leading Indiana to a historic National Championship win.
Mendoza made it official on Friday—he’s heading for the NFL draft. He dropped the news on LinkedIn, and now the Raiders are lined up to take him with their top pick in April. Raiders owner Mark Davis, Tom Brady (now a minority owner and still a legend), and general manager John Spytek all showed up Monday night to watch Mendoza lead his team to a national title win over Miami.
The whole week leading up to his announcement, South Florida was buzzing. The College Football Playoff title game and everything around it turned into a big Mendoza celebration.
Everywhere you looked, cameras and reporters tracked his every step. He still found time to sign autographs for fans. Indiana gear was everywhere, just as common as Miami Hurricanes colours. After the win, the Hoosiers’ band and cheerleaders crowded around him, handing out high-fives like he was a rock star. You could just feel it—Mendoza’s not just a football star. He’s got that something extra that makes people pay attention.
Eddie Lopez, a Miami local, managed to get Mendoza’s autograph during media day. Lopez has followed Mendoza since high school—back when Lopez was a freshman, and Mendoza was already making waves as a senior at Christopher Columbus High. Later, Lopez landed an interview with him while Mendoza played at Cal. Lopez still remembers how Mendoza made time for him, both then and now.
“He didn’t have to stop and talk, but he did. He made it count. That meant everything to me,” Lopez said.
Lopez loves the Dolphins, so he’s not about to jump ship. But he’s rooting for Mendoza, even though he’ll be wearing Raiders black and silver.
“I’m not switching teams or anything, but I’m not going to stop following him,” Lopez said. “He’s my favourite quarterback already. The Dolphins don’t have one, and I don’t see Tua sticking around, so Mendoza’s the guy I’ll keep watching. I’m not a Raiders fan, but I’ll follow him wherever he goes.”
Tyler Droste came down from Evansville, Indiana, for the big game. He roots for the Vikings, but he’s got a soft spot for the Colts, too. Still, he’s pulling for Mendoza in the NFL.
“I’m from Indiana, but I grew up a Vikings fan. We keep an eye on the Colts, but I’ll definitely be wishing Mendoza the best if he lands with the Raiders,” Droste said. “Honestly, it’d be a cool story for him and the team. He’s such a huge Tom Brady fan, and now Brady’s with the Raiders, so maybe Mendoza gets to learn from him. That’d be something.”
Josh Silverman, who brought his two sons all the way from Baltimore to cheer on Mendoza and the Hoosiers, says Mendoza is the kind of athlete and leader he wants his kids to admire.
“He’s not just a great player—he’s a great person,” Silverman said. “I’m in for the long haul, whether he keeps playing football or not. He’s just a really impressive guy.”
If the Raiders grab Mendoza as their first pick on April 23, he already fits the Vegas vibe. He loves to roll the dice and go big when it matters.
“When it’s fourth and four, or fourth and five, we’re putting it all out there,” Mendoza said after the game Monday. “We got here by betting on ourselves. Now it’s the ultimate gamble, and we’re doubling down to hit the jackpot.”
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES TRADE JAREN JACKSON JR. TO UTAH JAZZ IN 8-PLAYER BLOCKBUSTER
The Memphis Grizzlies have traded Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Utah Jazz, creating a record $28.8 million trade exception for 2026.
The Memphis Grizzlies turned heads on Tuesday, pulling off a blockbuster trade that sent two-time All-Star and former Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr to the Utah Jazz. Along with Jackson, the Grizzlies shipped out Vince Williams Jr, John Konchar, and Jock Landale. Coming back their way: Walter Clayton Jr, Kyle Anderson, Georges Niang, and, maybe the most important part, three future first-round picks.
And honestly, it feels like Memphis isn’t done stirring the pot. Inside the organisation, they see Zach Edey and Cedric Coward as the future. Both went late in the lottery in the past two drafts, and the Grizzlies landed some value in the second round this year, too, grabbing Jaylen Wells and Cam Spencer.
All this movement means Ja Morant’s future in Memphis suddenly looks shaky. He’s been the face of the franchise since they took him No. 2 overall back in 2019. When he’s healthy, he’s electric—no question. But injuries and off-court drama have slowed him down, and now, with the trade deadline closing in, the Grizzlies are openly shopping him. Teams around the league are watching.
There’s another wrinkle here: by dealing Jackson, Memphis created a massive trade exception—$28.8 million, the biggest in NBA history, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks and Shams Charania. It’s a huge chess piece. With that exception, the Grizzlies can absorb big, ugly contracts from other teams in exchange for more draft picks. Think of what the Thunder did a few years back—stockpiling picks by taking on bad deals until they rebuilt into a contender.
Now, you’ve probably heard Giannis Antetokounmpo’s name floating around in trade rumours. He hasn’t officially asked out of Milwaukee, but everyone in the league expects something to happen soon. Teams like the Timberwolves and Knicks are circling. The Grizzlies? They’re not likely to chase Giannis directly. But with that trade exception, they could play a big role as a third team—taking on salary dumps or unwanted contracts, collecting more picks, and helping another franchise pull off the Giannis blockbuster. Memphis just put itself squarely in the middle of the NBA’s hottest rumour.
KLINT KUBIAK SNUBS NFL RIVALS TO LEAD RAIDERS’ NEW ERA UNDER TOM BRADY
The Las Vegas Raiders are zeroing in on Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak as their next head coach, with Tom Brady leading the search.
The Las Vegas Raiders are in the middle of a huge shakeup right now. Klint Kubiak, the offensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks, is set to become their new head coach—and honestly, he’s nothing like Pete Carroll.
Kubiak’s still in his 30s, calling plays on offence, while Carroll just wrapped up last season as the NFL’s oldest head coach. The Raiders had their eyes on Ben Johnson previous year, but when he decided to take the Bears job, they turned to Carroll instead.
This time, Las Vegas seemed to have that same level of interest in Kubiak, but they had to wait things out because Seattle was still in the playoffs. Tom Brady, who’s a minority owner with the Raiders, clearly played a big part in picking the new coach.
Since nothing’s official until after the Super Bowl, Brady can’t come right out and talk about Kubiak joining the team. Still, he didn’t hold back when it came to sharing what he liked about the guy.
“Klint’s played to his team’s strengths. Last week, he did a ton of good things against a really strong Rams defence,” Brady said on the “Let’s Go!” podcast. “That’s what it took for them to win. The Rams are a tough team. That game in Seattle could’ve gone either way... Seattle really had to play a complete game in all three phases to pull it out, and they’ll need to do the same this weekend in Santa Clara.”
Brady also talked about Fernando Mendoza.
Another big reason the Raiders’ coaching job is so appealing? They’ve got the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Everyone expects them to grab Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
Brady doesn’t have to be secretive about it—nobody’s jumping ahead of them in the draft. He was pretty open about how much he likes Mendoza.
“What do I value most? When I see him, he’s always talking up his teammates. He wins the Heisman, and he’s giving credit to everyone else,” Brady said. “That’s the kind of attitude you want in a leader.”
Kubiak focused on the Super Bowl, not the job switch.
Kubiak’s career is about to take off, but right now, he’s locked in on trying to win his first Super Bowl. So, he isn’t ready to talk about the Raiders just yet.
“I’m coaching the Seahawks in the Super Bowl, and that’s all I’m thinking about,” Kubiak told reporters on Monday. “I’m just excited for this week and this game.”
Not everyone in Seattle is thrilled to see Kubiak go. Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold had nothing but praise after working with him this year.
“He was unbelievable,” Darnold said Monday. “The stuff I picked up from Klint—just with schemes, and then learning from him as a coach and a person—the grit. He’s up before the sun, gets to the facility at 4 or 4:30, and leaves later than anyone. The guy just grinds. He loves football, and he’s always straight with his players. I know I really appreciated that, and so did the rest of the guys.”