Heisman Winner Fernando Mendoza Says He'd Be 'Blessed And Honored' To Play For Raiders

Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza is now starting to shift his mindset toward the NFL, which really was his goal when he transferred to Indiana. Mendoza and the Hoosiers just happened to have a perfect season together that ended with an improbable national championship. "It’s been a whirlwind," Mendoza said Monday night before receiving the Davey O’Brien Award as the nation’s top college quarterback. "I think now it’s finally settled in, and the dust has started to settle. The national championship, and then boom, next thing you know you’re on a new chapter." The latest award ceremony for Mendoza, the transfer from Cal who grew up a few miles from Miami (Fla.)'s campus, came exactly four weeks after Indiana won its first national championship 27-21 over the Hurricanes in their home stadium. It was also a week before the NFL combine, and just over two months from the opening night of the draft on April 23, when Mendoza very well could be the No. 1 overall pick by the Las Vegas Raiders and their new coach. "I'd be blessed and honored to play for the Raiders, or I'd be blessed to play for any team," he said. "Any NFL team that drafts me, I'd be ecstatic. I know at the draft, I'll probably shed a tear or two just because it's such a full-circle moment for me. ... The goal of transferring to Indiana was to make the NFL. It wasn’t to be a great college player. It was to try to develop into being an NFL quarterback one day." [2026 NFL DRAFT: How Raiders HC Klint Kubiak Can Maximize Fernando Mendoza’s Potential] Mendoza threw for 3,535 yards and an FBS-leading 41 touchdowns while completing 273 of 379 passes (72%) with only six interceptions. He had 4,712 yards passing and 30 touchdowns in 20 games over two seasons at Cal, which gave him a late scholarship offer after he had been prepared out of high school to "put myself into student debt" to play football at Yale — since no athletic scholarships are offered in the Ivy League — because he loved the game so much. Now the 22-year-old QB is preparing to move on to the highest level, knowing that college success won't automatically translate to the pros. "College is great, but that part's behind me," he said. "I feel like I've been satisfied with my college career. However, now I'm on to the NFL career. It requires a new skill set. It's a grown man's league." When Mendoza accepted the Heisman Trophy in December, his intention was to keep the trophy in Bloomington forever, where he felt it belonged. It wasn’t until a couple of weeks later, when the Heisman Trophy was in a case on the Indiana campus, that he realized he also got one of his own to keep. "Then I took it back home, and so it’s in my living room, which is great," he said. "Think about that decoration." He even took his trophy to St. Paul Catholic Center in Bloomington, where he regularly attended Mass, to share with the church leaders around Christmas. He also hopes to take the trophy to his high school in Miami. [COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Let's Debate: 6 Burning Questions for College Football in 2026] The ceremony for the Davey O'Brien Award, named for the former TCU quarterback and 1938 Heisman winner, is held only a few miles from the TCU campus. That is also where the quarterback who likely will replace Mendoza was a starter the past three seasons. Josh Hoover threw for 9,629 yards and 71 touchdowns over 36 games for the Horned Frogs before leaving in the portal for Indiana even before the national championship game. Mendoza said he hadn't had the opportunity to speak with Hoover, and said any advice he would have for his successor would be given in person. Reporting by The Associated Press.

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Dolphins Cleaning House: WR Tyreek Hill Reportedly Released by Miami

The Miami Dolphins have made it clear they're turning the page and entering a new era. Wide receiver Tyreek Hill has been released by the Dolphins, ESPN reported Monday. The news came shortly after it was reported that the team plans to cut edge rusher Bradley Chubb. Miami is also reportedly cutting guard James Daniels and wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine. Following his release, Hill is now FOX Sports' 27th-best free agent this offseason and the seventh-best wide receiver set to hit the open market. With Hill getting cut, the Dolphins will save $22.8 million in cap space. Hill, who'll turn 32 in March, had one season remaining on his three-year, $90 million deal. Hill from a dislocated knee and an ACL tear he suffered early in the 2025 season. That injury ended Hill's season after four games, and it also ended his streak of seasons with 800-plus receiving yards at eight. Hill was traded to the Miami Dolphins from the Kansas City Chiefs ahead of the 2022 season. He continued to be one of the game's top wide receivers while he was in Miami, and was arguably the top wide receiver in the NFL for a bit. He was named first-team All-Pro twice in his four years in Miami, logging 4,733 receiving yards and 28 total touchdowns during that time. Miami's decisions to move on from Hill, Chubb and other veteran players came after it hired a new head of football operations and head coach. It hired Green Bay Packers executive Jon-Eric Sullivan to replace Chris Grier as its general manager and Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley to replace Mike McDaniel at head coach. The Dolphins decided to make those moves following a 7-10 season, which caused them to miss the playoffs for a second straight year. In totality, the Dolphins cleared $66.98 million in cap space and over $56 million in 2026 cap space with the moves they made on Monday.

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Jon Gruden Jokes He's 'Studying NASCAR Now' as He Can't Land a Coaching Job

Jon Gruden is desperate to get a headset back on, even willing to switch sports to do so. The Super Bowl-winning head coach teased a possible move to NASCAR when he spoke with FOX Sports' Michael Waltrip ahead of Sunday's Daytona 500. "It's unbelievable. You guys start the season with the Super Bowl. This is the greatest event ever. I can't get a job coaching, so I'm studying NASCAR now," Gruden said. While Gruden exclaimed that he's studying NASCAR, he still relied on his football knowledge when Waltrip asked him what advice to give Bubba Wallace ahead of The Great American Race. "Go trips right, make a left and then if you can't find it, call an audible," Gruden said. Close enough, Gruden. Maybe he can now run his own driver's camp for up-and-coming NASCAR drivers, just as he did for quarterback prospects ahead of the NFL Draft? Or could Gruden help run a team to success, just like he did when he was the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2002? The possibilities of what Gruden could do in NASCAR are certainly limitless. But the former Las Vegas Raiders head coach certainly seemed to be enjoying himself in Daytona on Sunday, attending a driver's meeting alongside former NFL great Marshawn Lynch and getting some swag from Austin Dillon. Gruden has had trouble landing a coaching job in football after he resigned as head coach of the Raiders amid an email scandal in October 2021. He hasn't interviewed with an NFL team since then and has expressed an interest in coaching the college game, but to no avail. However, he's had some minor coaching roles, serving in a non-full-time advisor role for the New Orleans Saints in 2023 before working as a head coach in the Hula Bowl in January. Gruden has also worked with Barstool Sports since 2024, making frequent appearances on FS1's "Wake Up Barstool."

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Seahawks NFL Free Agency Predictions: 5 Moves for Seattle After Winning Super Bowl

The Seattle Seahawks are Super Bowl champs, but there's work to be done if they want to repeat. Seattle has six players on FOX Sports NFL writer Greg Auman's top 100 free agents list for this offseason. However, Auman also has the Seahawks re-signing four of those players and adding another in his free-agent predictions. The Seahawks are set to have roughly $72 million in cap space this offseason, per Over The Cap. So, finding the cap space to re-sign several key contributors shouldn't be a problem. But which players does Auman think Seattle will re-sign? Here's a closer at Auman's five free-agent predictions for the Seahawks. Re-sign CB Josh Jobe (79th-best free agent, seventh-best free agent cornerback) Auman's thoughts: "Jobe, 27, was cut by the Eagles before the 2024 season, landed on Seattle's practice squad and has quickly ascended to an every-game starter in a talented secondary. He re-signed this season for $2 million, but will be closer to $10 million on his next deal as other teams seek to crib from the NFL's No. 1 scoring defense. Two Super Bowls in four seasons doesn't hurt. Seattle has difficult decisions ahead in their secondary in free agency." Sign Ravens edge rusher Dre'Mont Jones (56th-best free agent, ninth-best free agent edge rusher) Auman's thoughts: "Jones, 29, split last season between the Titans and Ravens and reset his career high with seven sacks. He's been a consistent rotational disruptor bouncing through four teams in seven years, averaging just over five sacks a season. With the coaching change, he could land with John Harbaugh and the Giants or could go back to Seattle with Mike Macdonald, and should get a bump from the $8.5 million salary he earned in 2025." Re-sign CB Riq Woolen (33rd-best free agent, third-best free agent cornerback) Auman's thoughts: "Woolen, 26, led the NFL with six interceptions as a rookie in 2022, making the Pro Bowl, and he's totaled six over the last three seasons in helping the Seahawks to the Super Bowl. Seattle has plenty of cap space, but can't keep them all. Woolen has 10-plus passes defended in each of his four NFL seasons. Projections for his next deal are all over the map. Spotrac has him at $8 million, Pro Football Focus has him at $15 million and others think he could draw more than that." Re-sign Rashid Shaheed (16th-best free agent, fourth-best free agent wide receiver) Auman's thoughts: "Shaheed, 27, was electric after Seattle acquired him from the Saints at the trade deadline — the only NFL player with a punt return and kickoff return for a touchdown, adding another kickoff touchdown in the playoffs. His receiving skills — 59 catches for 687 yards and two touchdowns — are a nice bonus, and Seattle will have tough decisions on which impending free agents it can afford to keep. He's likely to draw $15 million a year from a team that values a return threat and can use him creatively on offense as well." Re-sign RB Kenneth Walker III (Sixth-best free agent, best free agent running back) Auman's thoughts: "Walker, 25, ramped it up in the playoffs with four touchdowns before running his way to Super Bowl MVP after rushing for 1,027 yards in the regular season. Seattle was a good bet to extend him already, but the injury to Zach Charbonnet should make that more of a priority. Can he clear $10 million a year on a new contract? The Seahawks are a Super Bowl team still somehow ranked in the top five in available cap space for 2026, so it's hard to imagine them not paying to bring him back as a central part of their offense moving forward."

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Eagles NFL Free Agency Predictions: 4 Moves for Philly After Disappointing 2025 Season

The Philadelphia Eagles' run to repeat as champions in 2025 ended in disappointment, but we have a few ideas in mind to help them potentially get back to the Super Bowl in 2026. FOX Sports NFL writer Greg Auman had the Eagles landing four players in his top 100 free agents list this week. Philadelphia has roughly $20 million in cap space this offseason, so retaining key players like edge rusher Jaelan Phillips is plausible. But the Eagles need some help on offense as well, especially with rumors of the team potentially dealing A.J. Brown percolating. Well, Auman has the Eagles finding an answer for their offensive woes, too. So, let's take a closer look at the four free agents he has Philadelphia signing a month before free agency opens. Re-sign S Reed Blankenship (94th-best free agent, 11th-best safety free agent) Auman's thoughts: "Blankenship, 26, was undrafted when he first came to the Eagles and has become a three-year starter and a key piece on their 2024 Super Bowl championship team. He had seven interceptions in 2023-24 but took a step back in 2025. Will the Eagles seek change in their secondary or pay to keep him around? He re-signed a year ago for $3.5 million as a restricted free agent but should command double that now on the open market." Re-sign TE Dallas Goedert (55th-best free agent, fifth-best tight end free agent) Auman's thoughts: "Goedert, 31, probably isn't going anywhere — he's played his eight-year career in Philadelphia, and more than doubled his career high with 11 touchdowns in 2025. He's a reliable target on a team that lacks depth at receiver, so his steady mid-level production (between 40 and 60 catches for the last seven years) is a constant even as the Eagles change offensive coordinators every year. He restructured to a $10 million deal last year and will likely take less to return for 2026." Sign Packers WR Romeo Doubs (23rd-best free agent, sixth-best wide receiver free agent) Auman's thoughts: "Doubs, 25, has had steady mid-level production in Green Bay, averaging 50 catches, 600 yards and five touchdowns a year in his four seasons there. He stepped up in the playoff loss with eight catches for 124 yards and a score — finding value in a No. 2 receiver can be tough, and he's likely to come in the $12-15 million range, above the $11 million extension Christian Watson signed for last year. By Pro Football Reference's "Approximate Value" metric, the top two picks of the 2022 fourth round were both Packers, in Doubs and tackle Zach Tom, already signed to a nice extension." Re-sign edge rusher Jaelan Phillips (10th-best free agent, third-best edge rusher free agent) Auman's thoughts: "Phillips, 26, got traded at the deadline when the Dolphins decided they weren't going to be able to keep him, but it was an underwhelming 2025 — two sacks in eight games with the Eagles after three sacks in nine games with the Dolphins. He's had injury concerns in the past and has 28 total sacks in five NFL seasons, peaking with 8.5 as a rookie in 2021. Phillips' pressure rates were solid and he's drawn praise from Vic Fangio. Could a one-year, $15 million deal get it done and allow him to reset himself at a higher value in 2027?"

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Cowboys NFL Free Agency Predictions: 4 Players to Help Dallas Get Back into Playoffs

We all know the Dallas Cowboys desperately need help on the defensive side of the ball, but they have a major question to address this offseason offensively, too. So, how will Dallas thread the needle when it's roughly $30 million above the salary cap (per Over The Cap)? Well, FOX Sports NFL writer Greg Auman believes that the Cowboys will land four players on his top 100 free agents list, including the No. 1 overall player. Of course, the Cowboys will need to aggressively hit the open market this offseason after going 7-9-1 in 2025 to miss the playoffs for a second straight season. But they've got two first-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft as well (No. 12 and No. 20), potentially setting the Cowboys up for a big offseason. Let's dive deeper into Auman's free-agent predictions for the Cowboys. Sign Steelers CB Asante Samuel Jr. (95th-best free agent, 11th-best cornerback free agent) Auman's thoughts: "Samuel, 26, is a tempting reclamation project, limited to 10 games over the last two seasons due to a shoulder injury, but a late-season cameo with the Steelers showed promise. Samuel once had three interceptions in one playoff game against the Jaguars, and his first three years in the league netted six interceptions and consistent play. Could he land with the Cowboys and his old Chargers position coach, Derrick Ansley?" Re-sign edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney (62nd-best free agent, 12th-best edge rusher free agent) Auman's thoughts: "Clowney, turning 33 next week, is a unicorn of a late-bloomer edge rusher, a former No. 1 overall pick who has played for seven teams in the last eight seasons and somehow has more sacks in his last five years (34.5) than he did in his first seven (32). That includes 8.5 sacks this season for Dallas as an absolute bargain, costing them all of $3.45 million. He might cost a little more this time around, but it's still smart value for any team looking for reliable veteran depth and surprisingly good production." Sign Browns LB Devin Bush (54th-best free agent, fourth-best linebacker free agent) Auman's thoughts: "Bush, 27, found himself this past year in Cleveland, filling up the stat sheet with 125 tackles, three picks (two returned for touchdowns), two sacks and two forced fumbles. Once the 10th overall draft pick with the Steelers, his play there dropped off after a promising rookie year. He made $3.2 million with the Browns and should be a coveted free agent. Pro Football Focus is high on him, ranking him as the No. 8 overall free agent and projecting $12 million a year." Franchise tag WR George Pickens (Best overall free agent, best wide receiver free agent) Auman's thoughts: "Pickens, still just 24, had a breakout year in 2025, catching 93 passes for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns after the Cowboys acquired him from the Steelers. He's due to make $30 million a year or more, but Dallas is already paying CeeDee Lamb $34 million a year — perhaps the franchise tag, at about $28 million for 2026, is a short-term solution if they don't want to invest more in Pickens. It seems like Pickens is a strong candidate to get the franchise tag as well, which could result in him getting traded. He's averaged at least 15 yards per catch in each of his four NFL seasons. Out of 56 players with 200-plus catches since the start of 2022, he ranks No. 1 in yards per catch at 16.0."

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NFL Free Agent Wide Receivers: The Top 10 WRs Available This Offseason

Is your favorite team in need of some pass-catching help? Well, we've got more than a few names in mind that could potentially help teams who are searching for a wide receiver this offseason. There were 10 wide receivers who appeared in my top 100 free agents ranking and predictions for this offseason. As you could imagine, names like George Pickens and Mike Evans were on the list as their contract are set to expire. But there are some other pretty talented wide receivers who could hit the open market when free agency opens on March 9. So, let's take a closer look at my top 10 free-agent wide receivers and what their markets might be this offseason. 10. Christian Kirk, Texans Kirk, 29, disappeared for much of the 2025 season in Houston, then flashed in the playoffs, with eight catches for 144 yards and a touchdown in a win over the Steelers. He'd totaled 104 yards in the previous nine games, mind you, but some team will think they can bring back 2022 Kirk — 1,108 yards and eight touchdowns with the Jaguars. He'll likely cost a third of the $18 million a year he got on his last contract, so there's a chance for value. Perhaps to the Colts if Alec Pierce takes a big payday elsewhere? 9. Keenan Allen, Chargers Allen, 33, returned to the Chargers in 2025 and still found a way to get 81 catches for 777 yards and four touchdowns. He's easing into WR3 mode, but has a résumé with 1,000-plus catches and 70 career touchdowns, so he's a good fit for a team looking for a veteran mentor to pair with a young receiver. That could mean staying with the Chargers, but he'd be a nice value match for the Saints, who could use another playmaker and have Kellen Moore, who had him in 2023. 8. Wan'Dale Robinson, Giants Robinson, 25, is a volume receiver. Only five receivers in the league have more targets in the last two seasons than his 280, and while the other five average 18 touchdown catches in that span, Robinson has just seven. So he's coming off a 1,014-yard season with 90 catches, but only 42% of those catches resulted in a first down. There are lofty projections out there for Robinson. Spotrac has him getting $15 million a year, but that's a lot for someone with nine career touchdowns on 389 targets. 7. Deebo Samuel, Commanders Samuel, 30, has seen his value decline. After being traded from San Francisco to Washington, he agreed to a lesser deal worth $17 million. His one-year production for the Commanders was lackluster: 72 catches for 727 yards and five touchdowns. The same player who once led the league at 18.2 yards per catch averaged a career-low 10.1 in 2025, and the versatile playmaker who once rushed for 365 yards and eight touchdowns was barely used as a ballcarrier, getting 75 yards and a single score. Can a creative offensive mind get more out of his skill set? Perhaps, but it's likely he'll get less this time around, closer to $12-14 million a year. 6. Romeo Doubs, Packers Doubs, 25, has had steady mid-level production in Green Bay, averaging 50 catches, 600 yards and five touchdowns a year in his four seasons there. He stepped up in the playoff loss with eight catches for 124 yards and a score — finding value in a No. 2 receiver can be tough, and he's likely to come in the $12-15 million range, above the $11 million extension Christian Watson signed for last year. By Pro Football Reference's "Approximate Value" metric, the top two picks of the 2022 fourth round were both Packers, in Doubs and tackle Zach Tom, already signed to a nice extension. 5. Jauan Jennings, 49ers Jennings, 28, could benefit as San Francisco is expected to move on from Brandon Aiyuk, who missed 2025 recovering from a major knee injury. The 49ers' receiving corps has underwhelmed — Jennings has 15 touchdown catches over the last two seasons, but he also totaled 643 yards this season on 90 targets, ranking 55th among NFL receivers in yards/target. If he's getting more than $20 million a year, could he price himself out of San Francisco's budget? 4. Rashid Shaheed, Seahawks Shaheed, 27, was electric after Seattle acquired him from the Saints at the trade deadline — the only NFL player with a punt return and kickoff return for a touchdown, adding another kickoff touchdown in the playoffs. His receiving skills — 59 catches for 687 yards and two touchdowns — are a nice bonus, and Seattle will have tough decisions on which impending free agents it can afford to keep. He's likely to draw $15 million a year from a team that values a return threat and can use him creatively on offense as well. 3. Mike Evans, Buccaneers Evans, 32, has a Hall of Fame résumé already with 108 career touchdown catches, so this is a three-way fork — does he retire at 32, coming off a year when he played only eight games due to hamstring and collarbone injuries? Does he come back and try to help the Bucs to one more playoff berth after a down 2025? Or if the outside offers are compelling enough, does he finish his career elsewhere? He made $20.5 million a year on his last deal, but Spotrac only has him projected to $13 million for 2026. It's likely he finishes his career with the Bucs, but leave open the slim chance he goes somewhere like Houston, close to his hometown of Galveston, with a strong contender he could help. 2. Alec Pierce, Colts Pierce, 25, is arguably the NFL's best deep-threat receiver, leading the league in yards per catch in each of the last two seasons. He topped 1,000 receiving yards in 2025, and four touchdowns in the last three games helped his market a bit. The Colts have a handful of top free agents and won't be able to keep them all. Pierce is likely to command $20 million a year as an underrated player who could be utilized more — Ja'Marr Chase had 101 more targets in 2025 than Pierce did, but only 409 more yards than the Colts wide receiver. 1. George Pickens, Cowboys Pickens, still just 24, had a breakout year in 2025, catching 93 passes for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns after the Cowboys acquired him from the Steelers. He's due to make $30 million a year or more, but Dallas is already paying CeeDee Lamb $34 million a year — perhaps the franchise tag, at about $28 million for 2026, is a short-term solution if they don't want to invest more in Pickens. It seems like Pickens is a strong candidate to get the franchise tag as well, which could result in him getting traded. He's averaged at least 15 yards per catch in each of his four NFL seasons. Out of 56 players with 200-plus catches since the start of 2022, he ranks No. 1 in yards per catch at 16.0.

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