Projected No. 1 NFL draft pick Fernando Mendoza drew unexpected attention beyond football after posting a playful message to Olympic gold medalist Alysa Liu, showing a side of his personality that has fans buzzing across multiple sports platforms.
Mendoza had a historic 2025 season at Indiana, passing for 3,535 yards with 41 touchdowns and six interceptions while completing 72% of his passes, leading the Hoosiers to their first national championship and securing the Heisman Trophy in dominant fashion.
Mendoza shared an Instagram story on Friday biting a gold Fortnite Crown, tagging Liu with the caption: “@alysaxliu am I doing this right?”
The pose was in reference to Liu‘s iconic medal-biting moment at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, quickly going viral on social media.
The 20-year-old Liu captured the first American women’s Olympic gold in figure skating since 2002 and also helped Team USA earn gold in the team event, cementing her status as a global star and delivering a defining performance that inspired fans worldwide.
Liu‘s career trajectory is remarkable, as she became the youngest U.S. champion at 13, briefly stepped away from competitive skating, then returned to win the 2025 World Championships and Olympic gold, demonstrating resilience, talent, and fearless competitive drive.
Mendoza faced with sharp learning curve to be NFL ready
Next month, the Las Vegas Raiders are expected to select Mendoza with the first overall pick, giving him the rare opportunity to become their franchise quarterback while adjusting to the challenges of a league known for speed, complexity, and high expectations.
Even as the top quarterback in the 2026 draft, Mendoza will need to adapt quickly, mastering NFL defensive schemes, perfecting read progressions under pressure, and refining mechanics while maintaining poise against elite athletes at the professional level.
“There is not a lot of evidence of him [Mendoza] down the field,” said NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky.
“Getting through a progression one to two to three. His greatest superpower is that he avoids negative plays. So a lot of times, it is like number one down. There are not a lot of examples of that. The second thing is, there are a lot of examples of his eyes, dropping, looking at the rush.”
The Raiders will provide coaching guidance and mentorship, including from minority owner Tom Brady, helping Mendoza translate raw talent into consistent NFL production, while developing leadership and decision-making skills critical for franchise quarterbacks.
Off the field, Mendoza‘s playful message to Liu also signals his comfort in blending sports and media attention, a trait that could increase his visibility as a young star while connecting him with audiences beyond football fans, expanding his brand early in his career.
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