Fernando Mendoza and Indiana came out on top over Ty Simpson’s Alabama squad just months ago. The two college rivals turned NFL rookies are linked again, this time off the field. Now, as summer rolls on, something unusual ties their names together.
Fernando Mendoza and Ty Simpson Unsigned Entering Summer
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Seven weeks after the 2026 NFL Draft, almost every rookie has a signed contract. Only [two remain unsigned](https://x.com/AdamSchefter/status/2068707495292379431?s=20), and both are quarterbacks. Mendoza, picked first overall by the Las Vegas Raiders, and Simpson, taken 13th by the Los Angeles Rams, are still working out final details with their teams.
Rookie deals follow a strict pay scale set by the league’s labor agreement, so the total value is already locked in. Mendoza is set for a four-year, fully guaranteed contract worth about $57.3 million, including a $38.1 million signing bonus. Simpson’s deal calls for roughly $25.4 million over four years, with a $14.9 million bonus.
The holdup is not about money. It centers on smaller contract details, mainly how and when the signing bonus gets paid out. The Raiders have a history of spreading first-round bonuses across several payments instead of one lump sum. If the Rams give Simpson his full bonus upfront, that could put pressure on Las Vegas to match the approach for Mendoza.
Both players have stayed engaged despite the delay. Mendoza took every snap behind veteran Kirk Cousins through offseason workouts, while Simpson trained under Matthew Stafford in Los Angeles. Neither has missed a practice.
Their unsigned contracts are not the first time these two have shared the spotlight this year.
Mendoza and Simpson know each other well before this contract situation began. The two faced off in January’s Rose Bowl, where Mendoza threw three touchdowns to lead Indiana past Simpson’s Alabama squad 38-3 in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal. Simpson left that game early in the second half after a hard hit slowed him down.
Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza (15) talks to the crowd on the podium after the College Football Playoff National Championship college football game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026.
Now their paths are crossing again, this time through contract talks rather than on the football field. Analysts say the timing of Simpson’s deal could shape how the Raiders structure Mendoza’s signing bonus. Former agent Joel Corry explained why the issue matters so much for both sides.
“The Raiders haven’t been paying first-round pick signing bonuses in a lump sum,” Corry wrote. The comment points to a payment pattern that may explain why talks have stretched into the summer months.
For now, Mendoza and Simpson keep working without signed deals. Both sides expect an agreement before training camp opens in late July. The Raiders build around their new starter, while the Rams aim for another playoff push with Stafford leading the way.