This Is the Way to a Trademark Fight: Raiders Rookie Files for 'Nandolorian' as Lucasfilm Looms
Las Vegas Raiders rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza has filed a trademark application for 'Nandolorian' — the nickname his team's schedule-release video gave him. The move could put him on a collision course with Disney and Lucasfilm, which hold 16 trademarks tied to The Mandalorian.
A nickname born from an NFL hype video could end up in a galaxy far, far away. Las Vegas Raiders rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza has filed a trademark application for "Nandolorian" — and the move could draw Disney and Lucasfilm, guardians of the Star Wars universe, into the fight.
The Buzz
Pro Football Talk first flagged the filing, and Star Wars fans are buzzing over the crossover: an NFL rookie staking a claim to a play on The Mandalorian, one of Disney's most fiercely protected brands.
How a Schedule-Release Video Sparked a Trademark
The Raiders' 2026 schedule-release video unofficially crowned Mendoza the "Nandolorian," riffing on his first name and the helmeted bounty hunter at the heart of Disney+'s flagship Star Wars series. Mendoza clearly liked it — on Monday, via trademark attorney Josh Gerben, he filed an application to lock the term down.
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Why Disney and Lucasfilm Are Watching
As Gerben noted, the filing could spark a clash with Disney and Lucasfilm, which hold 16 trademarks tied to "The Mandalorian," part of the broader Star Wars universe. The central legal question is whether "Nandolorian" qualifies as parody — likely Mendoza's position if and when Disney challenges the application.
The play mirrors a recent trend of athletes trademarking their nicknames: like Bears quarterback Caleb Williams and "Iceman," Mendoza's filing is aimed at preventing others from making and selling "Nandolorian" merchandise and keeping the proceeds himself. Disney, for its part, would likely argue those rights belong to Lucasfilm the moment "Nandolorian" gear hits shelves.
The Mandalorian's Pop-Culture Pull
The Mandalorian isn't just any Star Wars title — it's the series that relaunched the franchise on television, introduced the cultural phenomenon known as Grogu (a.k.a. "Baby Yoda"), and turned "This is the Way" into a catchphrase. Its bounty-hunter iconography has expanded from Disney+ across toys, apparel, theme-park experiences, and beyond. That reach is exactly why a name echoing it carries real commercial value — and why Lucasfilm guards the brand so carefully.
What This Means for Star Wars Fans
It could get genuinely interesting if Disney leans on its broadcast partner the NFL — through ESPN ties — to nudge Mendoza into backing down, and whether an eager-to-please rookie would withdraw the filing is anyone's guess. For Star Wars fans, it's a fun reminder of just how deeply The Mandalorian has seeped into pop culture, and a real-world test of how far Lucasfilm will go to defend it. The next move belongs to a galaxy far, far away.