Fernando Mendoza's Old George Floyd's Protest Comment Resurfaces As Fans Strongly Defend Him

Fernando Mendoza is suddenly in the spotlight, and not for football. The top NFL Draft prospect is facing strong reactions online after an old social media comment from 2020 came back into public view. The comment was made during the time of the George Floyd protests, when emotions were high across the United States. Now, just weeks before the 2026 NFL Draft, the situation has sparked debate among fans. While some people are criticising what he said as a teenager, many others are defending him and asking people to look at the full context and his age at the time.

Fernando Mendoza’s old comment resurfaces before the NFL Draft

The issue started when a post from 2020 was reshared online. Back then, LeBron James had shared an image during the protests. The post showed a police officer kneeling on a man next to a photo of Colin Kaepernick kneeling during the national anthem. The caption read, “This…Is Why.” At the time, Fernando Mendoza was a high school student. Under that post, he allegedly wrote:

“You need to explain the context of the first photo of the cop on the man, because you never know what he did wrong”.

Years later, this comment was picked up again by Pop Crave, a social media page with millions of followers. The post quickly spread online and reached millions of views within a short time. That is when the reactions began to grow. The timing made things more intense. With the NFL Draft coming up soon, teams are already finalising their decisions. So any off-field topic, even from years ago, is getting attention. For some people, the comment raised concerns. For others, it felt unfair to judge someone today for what they said at 16.

Fans defend Fernando Mendoza as debate grows online

As the post spread, many fans stepped in to support Fernando Mendoza. A large number of people pointed out that he was only 16 years old when he made that comment. One fan wrote, “He was like 16 when he commented that… so as long as he doesn’t act like that right now, I don’t care.” Another user questioned why the post was even brought back, saying, “So somebody is looking at 6+ year old posts and trying to bring cancel culture back? Boring.”

There were also fans who focused on his football future. One comment read, “He’s still going No. 1,” showing confidence that this situation will not affect his draft position. Another fan joked, “Oh no! This should hurt his draft stock so bad! He should definitely still be available at the 11th pick and the Dolphins should not take him then!” At the same time, reports say Fernando Mendoza will not attend the draft event in Pittsburgh. Instead, he plans to watch it with family and friends in Miami. This information was shared by a person familiar with his plans, according to the Associated Press.

The first round of the 2026 NFL Draft is now just two weeks away. Roger Goodell will be present at the event, along with several well-known players who usually welcome new draft picks on stage. Right now, Fernando Mendoza’s name is being talked about for two very different reasons. One is his strong position as a top draft pick. The other is a short comment from years ago that has now turned into a big discussion online.

What are your thoughts on Fernando Mendoza’s situation and how it could impact his NFL Draft journey? Let us know.

Also Read: Who Was Alex Duong? All About The Blue Bloods Star Who Passed Away At 42 After A Health Battle

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