He might be the top overall pick from the 2026 NFL draft and, arguably, the hottest player on the Las Vegas Raiders roster these days, but while Fernando Mendoza is best known for his football prowess, he says he’s equally excited about personal finance.
The 22-year-old plans to channel that enthusiasm for savings and smart spending into a new educational video series, which will be called “Finance with Fernando.”
Mendoza is working with U.S. Bank for the show. Roughly a month ago, the financial institution announced a relationship with the rookie quarterback,naming him its “Chief Financial Playmaker.”
Financial literacy gaps
OK, yes, there’s a fun cringe factor to seeing Mendoza in a suit shouting “Get up! Your 401(k) contributions” and describing his offer of a LinkedIn recommendation as “the ultimate prize,” but despite the cheesiness of the video, there is a growing need for this sort of financial education — and Mendoza’s popularity could be a good way to get younger people interested in it.
A recent study by the TIAA Institute and the Global Financial Literacy Excellence Center (GFLEC) found that U.S. adults could only correctly answer 49% of the index questions across eight key personal finance areas. And Gen Z’s scores were thelowest of any generation, with “many of them demonstrating very low levels of financial literacy.”
Whether it was saving, investing or comprehending risk, Gen Z consistently scored poorly.
Mendoza says he hopes his show will provide viewers with a “practical guide” to personal finance. And it is a field where he has some knowledge. He graduated with his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Cal Berkeley.
Mendoza will have some extra time to focus on his educational efforts for young Americans. Despite being the top draft pick, the rookie is not the Raiders’ starting quarterback this season, instead supporting Kirk Cousins in the job.
The Raiders made the choice not to rush Mendoza into the spotlight, instead letting him strengthen his skills in a lower pressure environment, in hopes that he can lead the team in the future.
“It’s baptism by fire every day at all positions — especially rookie quarterbacks,”said head coach Klint Kubiak during training camp. “I see an improving player that we’ve just got to keep being hard on to get better.”
Chris Morris is a veteran journalist with more than 35 years of experience at many of the internet's biggest news outlets. In addition to his activities as a writer, reporter and editor, Chris is also a frequent panel moderator and speaker at major conferences, including CES and South by Southwest.
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