Super Bowl 2020: South Bay native Rob Mendez enjoying 'amazing' experience in Miami

ByDustin Dorsey KGO logo

Friday, January 31, 2020

South Bay native Rob Mendez enjoying 'amazing' experience in Miami

South Bay native Rob Mendez has gone from small town kid, to sports hero for so many across the country. This week his "Who Says I Can't" message was being shared on Radio Row in Miami.

MIAMI (KGO) -- Ever since he was honored at the 2019 ESPYs, the life of South Bay Native Rob Mendez has never been the same.

Now, the high school football coach born with no arms or legs is living the dream on Radio Row in Miami.

Mendez continues to prove that when you ask the question "Who says I can't?" anything is possible.

He grew up in small-town Gilroy, Calif. and now, he's a superstar in the sports world thanks to his incredible message of inspiration.

"This is so unreal actually," Mendez said. "This is amazing. Being around all these athletes and coaches, I just feel like I'm starstruck by everyone. But for the most part, I try to play it cool and hold the excitement inside. There's Frank Gore right there, my idol. Niners! It's been an amazing journey and I've been very fortunate for it."

Radio Row is really the home of the "who's who" during Super Bowl week.

You don't have to go far to find a superstar and Mendez has been finding plenty of them.

"The best part of the journey is just traveling and meeting people," Mendez said. "I got to meet Derrick Henry, I got to meet David Ortiz. David Ortiz was just someone that was an honor to meet. And what he went through this year, he was telling me that when he was in the hospital recovering, he saw my story. For him to tell me that with his honesty and his appreciation of my message, that was pretty cool on my end. Michael Vick just passed me actually and when I saw him, I never do this but, I yelled out, 'hey Michael' and I got a picture with him. Just to hang out with everyone is just an awesome experience."

In addition to his time at Radio Row, Mendez will be hosting his first of many high school football camps to happen across the country.

Thursday, he and some of his friends from the NFL got local kids playing in a flag football game in the Miami area.

Now, Mendez isn't just at the Super Bowl to meet his idols and coach football, he can't wait to see his San Francisco 49ers hit the field for the big game.

"Just for them to actually make it and be here is just all full circle for me," Mendez said. "I predicted for them to make it to the playoffs, but, I have to be honest, I didn't predict them or see them making it this far. Now that I see them making it this far, I can see our defense overpowering their offense and usually in the NFL, it's the defenses that win the championship."

So does that mean that Coach has the 49ers winning it all this weekend?

"28-17 has been my prediction," Mendez said. "Go Niners!"

We'll have to see Sunday if his prediction comes true!

It seems like this week, he is a pretty lucky man.

Take a look at the latest stories and videos about the San Francisco 49ers and Super Bowl 2020 here.

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