Fernando Mendoza Says One NFL Team Suggested He ‘Get Arrested’ Ahead of 2026 Draft
· Yahoo Sports
Credit: Megan Briggs/Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- Fernando Mendoza revealed that one NFL team suggested he "get arrested" ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft
- Mendoza said the team, which he refused to identify, made the suggestion so that Mendoza "could slide" in the draft
- The quarterback said he was a "little confused" at first, but joked, "Hopefully, I don't get arrested"
Fernando Mendoza revealed the surprising suggestion he was given from an NFL team ahead of the 2026 draft.
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The 22-year-old former Indiana Hoosiers star told CBS Sports he was told by an NFL team that he should "get arrested" ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft, which starts on April 23.
When asked about the "most bizarre" question he received while meeting with potential teams, Mendoza hesitated to share before revealing, “It was, ‘Hey, maybe you should get arrested.' "
The most bizarre question that Fernando Mendoza has been asked during his draft interviews
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) February 27, 2026
"It was: 'Hey, maybe you should get arrested.' I was a little confused, but then it was like to slide."
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Mendoza, who is expected to be selected first overall at the 2026 Draft, said he was "a little confused" by the suggestion at the time, but realized that he was advised to get into legal trouble because he would then "slide" in the Draft prospects if he did.
"So, hopefully I don't get arrested," he joked.
When asked to name the team, Mendoza politely declined and kept the NFL team's identity under wraps.
He did say, "It was not one of the teams I had a formal interview with ... I don't want to expose the team."
The suggestion is especially surprising considering Mendoza is known for his wholesome personality.
In January, just days after he helped lead the Hoosiers to the 2026 national championship, an old interview with the quarterback talking about why he doesn't date in college resurfaced.
Fernando Mendoza on Dec. 6, 2025Credit: Michael Reaves/Getty
Mendoza told TonyBandz in July 2024 — while he was still playing for the California Golden Bears — that he "knows" he can "make it to the NFL" if he stays focused on his goal. "However, at this point, I've gotta limit all distractions," he said.
"Especially with the girls, it can be very distracting," Mendoza said. "You might find your first love in college, and stuff like that, but...I'm going to give everything my all, so if I have a girlfriend, I'm going to give her my all."
The NFL Draft kicks off on April 23 in Pittsburgh and will air on ESPN.
Read the original article on People