Raiders donate $20,000 in equipment to Pahrump Valley High football

A routine trip to Henderson ended with Pahrump Valley High School football getting more than a photo opportunity. The Las Vegas Raiders and Naqvi Injury Law surprised the Trojans with over $20,000 worth of practice equipment at the Intermountain Health Performance Center, a gift that gives the Nye County program a stronger base for practices, player development and safer training.

The donation came during the Raiders’ 2026 Draft Festival of Football on Friday, April 24, where Pahrump players also met quarterback Fernando Mendoza during his first public fan appearance. Senior captains Austin Alvarez, Joshua Slusher and Kayne Horibe were among the players on hand, along with coaches Toby Henry and George Baker and athletic director Kristin Baker.

The Raiders said the equipment giveaway was part of their Champions for Safety program, which pairs the team with Naqvi Injury Law. Jordan Aguilar, the Raiders’ senior manager of football development, spoke during the surprise presentation. The team’s own outreach has included similar high school football efforts before, including the Tom Flores High School Coach of the Week program, which awards $1,000 donations to school football programs.

For Pahrump Valley, the impact is practical as much as it is ceremonial. Football budgets at rural high schools often depend on outside support for gear, player development and basic upkeep, and a six-figure-level NFL spotlight can translate into resources the program may not otherwise be able to replace on its own. Better practice equipment matters for performance, but it also matters for player health, especially in a sport where conditioning and repetition shape how safely athletes can prepare.

The day also gave the Trojans a rare look behind the scenes at an NFL facility. Players took part in football activities, including a vertical jump test, watched the Raiderettes perform and posed for team photos at the training center. Those moments put Pahrump Valley athletes in the middle of a marquee draft-weekend event while also tying the school more closely to a franchise that has been increasingly visible in local football circles.

The Raiders Foundation says its mission is to support military members and veterans, health and wellness, and youth development, and says it has given more than $8 million since 2018. For Nye County, the Pahrump Valley gift stands out for what it is and what it says: local football still leans heavily on outside donors when it comes to the basics, and a $20,000 equipment drop can carry real weight long after the draft-day spotlight fades.