NFL asked Peyton Manning to encourage Fernando Mendoza to attend the draft
NBC Sports • • sports
Key Points:
- Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the presumptive No. 1 pick by the Raiders, declined the invitation to attend the NFL draft in person, a move that challenges the league's traditional draft presentation.
- The NFL enlisted Hall of Famer Peyton Manning to encourage Mendoza to attend, but the quarterback maintained his decision to stay home.
- Mendoza explained his choice on The Rich Eisen Show, emphasizing that players' decisions about draft attendance should be respected.
- The league aims to maintain the draft as a high-profile TV event, but there is debate over whether players who participate in the televised event should receive compensation beyond travel and lodging.
- While other participants in the draft broadcast are paid, the article suggests that top draft prospects like Mendoza, as the true stars of the show, deserve some form of payment for their appearance.
