Fernando Mendoza is set to make his NFL preseason debut Thursday night as the Las Vegas Raiders take on the Arizona Cardinals.
The Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback, who led Indiana football to college football’s national championship earlier this year, enters the preseason spotlight in a Raiders quarterback room that also includes the No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick, veteran Kirk Cousins and Purdue alum Aidan O'Connell.
Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET Thursday, Aug. 13, at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada.
Fans can watch the game on Fox5 in Las Vegas and CBS5 in Phoenix.
Mendoza’s first preseason action comes on a busy opening slate for Week 1 of the NFL preseason. Earlier Thursday, the Detroit Lions face the Cincinnati Bengals and the Green Bay Packers meet the Pittsburgh Steelers, both at 7 p.m.
ET. Also on the schedule are the Indianapolis Colts at the New England Patriots and the Los Angeles Chargers at the Houston Texans, both at 8 p.m.
ET, before the Raiders and Cardinals close out the night. The Tennessee Titans and San Francisco 49ers are set for 9 p.m.
ET.
The rest of the week continues Friday with the Miami Dolphins at the Washington Commanders, Denver Broncos at the Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the New York Jets, all at 7 p.m. ET.
Saturday’s slate includes the Carolina Panthers at the Buffalo Bills, Minnesota Vikings at the New York Giants and Cleveland Browns at the Chicago Bears at 1 p.m. ET; the Jacksonville Jaguars at the New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Rams at the Kansas City Chiefs at 4 p.m.
ET; and the Philadelphia Eagles at the Baltimore Ravens at 7 p.m. ET.
In Other News...
Indiana Football Moves Closer To Memorial Stadium Changes Fans Have Wanted
Indiana footballs push to modernize Memorial Stadium took another step forward this week, as the Indiana University Board of Trustees approved $50 million in financing for renovations and also voted to ask the state for another $150 million to support additional upgrades. The move follows a stretch in which athletic director Scott Dolson has been working to gather fan input on what should change around the stadium, with the message from the stands sounding pretty consistent: make the place bigger, better and more in line with what the program wants to become.
Head coach Curt Cignetti has already made clear he sees room for improvement, especially when it comes to expanding seating capacity and upgrading the press box. Those ideas now sit alongside a broader renovation push that has real momentum, though the full scope of what Memorial Stadium will look like after all of this is still taking shape. For Indiana, the approval signals more than a facilities update - it reflects a program trying to match its ambitions with the home environment around it. [Read more 🡒]
Fernando Mendozas Raiders Start Is Raising One Intriguing Question
Fernando Mendozas first taste of life with the Raiders has come with a familiar veteran presence nearby, even if the relationship is meant to stay low-key. Las Vegas brought in Kirk Cousins to help as the rookie quarterback settles into the NFL, and the setup around the teams No. 1 overall pick suggests a patient approach as Mendoza learns the league and adjusts to a pro offense.
Mendoza has already given the Raiders reason to like the early returns, too, after a promising preseason debut that showed poise and efficiency. Still, with Cousins available in a mentoring role and Mendoza sitting second on the depth chart, the real question is how much of the rookies path will be shaped by guidance behind the scenes and how much will be decided by what he keeps showing on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Kurtis Rourke Built Real 49ers Momentum Before A Scary Setback
Kurtis Rourke gave the 49ers a useful preseason glimpse before his night ended early, completing 12 of 14 passes for 101 yards in the opener as he continued his push for a spot on the 53-man roster. For a quarterback trying to make a late summer impression, that kind of efficiency matters, especially in a camp where every snap is being weighed and every mistake can tilt the numbers game.
Rourkes momentum hit a worrying pause after the rib injury, and the club took a cautious approach by sending him to the hospital for evaluation. Kyle Shanahan has downplayed the severity, which at least leaves open the possibility that the injury will not derail the progress Rourke had been building, but any setback in August can complicate a competition that is already tight. [Read more 🡒]