Fernando Mendoza got a quick lesson in the preseason, and it came with a heavy price on the scoreboard.
The Raiders rookie quarterback, the No. 1 overall draft pick, had just helped set up what looked like a promising drive. A 22-yard Jalen Nailor catch and a 33-yard Mike Washington Jr. run put Las Vegas in position to do damage. Then everything changed in a flash.
Mendoza threw an interception in the first quarter against the Houston Texans, and rookie linebacker Wade Woodaz took it 80 yards the other way for a touchdown.
Even after the mistake, Mendoza showed the kind of response coaches love. He immediately chased Woodaz down the field and dove in an effort to make the tackle before the end zone.
The effort didn’t stop the score, but it did say plenty about how he handles a bad moment. He didn’t coast or shut it down just because it was a preseason game.
There’s also a chance the play wasn’t entirely on him. During ESPN’s broadcast, Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman suggested Mendoza may have expected Washington to sit and wait for the pass instead of drifting. That would point to a communication issue more than a simple bad read.
Still, the interception goes on Mendoza’s ledger, and the national champion and Heisman Trophy winner will have to live with it. Based on his earlier comments about mistakes in practice, he’ll likely own it after the game and treat it as another rep in the learning process.
Welcome to the NFL: #Raiders QB Fernando Mendoza throws an INT to #Texans 4th-round rookie LB Wade Woodaz, who then took it back 80 yards for a TD.pic.twitter.com/bYarFVoC1k https://t.co/fLHPaulwPP
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) August 21, 2026
For now, the Raiders can at least take something from the way the 22-year-old responded after the turnover. The nitpicking can wait. The bigger focus is still the process.
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