Fernando Mendoza has not taken over the Las Vegas Raiders’ quarterback job, and there’s a real chance he won’t do it this season. But the rookie already knows how he’ll measure himself if the competition with Kirk Cousins doesn’t break his way.
When asked about the pressure that comes with the battle, Mendoza leaned into the mindset that got him here.
“The system that got me here, it’s a grinder system,” Mendoza told Michael Silver of The Athletic. “It’s a system where I know I put a lot into it, and best-case (scenario), boom, it’s letting me have success already.
“And let’s say, worst-worst-worst-case scenario, it doesn’t go my way, or it doesn’t go the team’s way. Then I can rest my head at night knowing I did everything I possibly (could). … I best served my teammates, I prepared, and I didn’t let them down.”
Mendoza, who won the Heisman Trophy last season after leading Indiana to a national championship, went No. 1 in April’s draft. He is scheduled to make his preseason debut Thursday night against the Arizona Cardinals at Allegiant Stadium, and he is expected to do it in a backup role behind Cousins.
The rookie’s routine in Las Vegas has been just as measured as his approach to the competition. Since arriving, Mendoza has stayed away from the Strip, kept his social life to the occasional dinner or movie, and is still living in a hotel with other rookies even though his deal guarantees more than $57 million. He said the discipline is not about simply saying no to distractions; it is about protecting the process that carried him from being a third-string, lowest-ranked recruit at Cal to a national champion at Indiana in less than three years.
The Raiders appear ready to take the slow route with him. Multiple reporters have said Cousins, now entering his 15th season, is expected to start the Sept. 13 opener at home against the Miami Dolphins if he is healthy. Team owner Tom Brady is reportedly one of the loudest voices pushing for that gradual approach with the rookie.
ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky also supported that plan Thursday, arguing the Raiders should wait before putting Mendoza into meaningful games.
"You don’t have to rush him onto the field," Orlovsky said on ESPN's 'Get Up.' "Do I think he should play at some point this year?
Yes. But I think you’re waiting until at least as long as you can, a situation where we’re out of the playoff conversation."
Orlovsky added that a shaky offensive line helped lead to Geno Smith’s struggles last season, using that as a warning sign for how the Raiders should handle Mendoza.
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For Las Vegas, that means a different kind of evaluation point on Saturday, with Gardner Minshew and Kedon Slovis expected to handle the snaps in Becks absence. The injury is not considered serious, but it does shift the feel of the matchup and gives the Raiders a chance to see how Arizonas backup plan looks right out of the gate. [Read more 🡒]
Fernando Mendoza Just Gave Raiders Fans A Real Reason To Dream
Fernando Mendozas first NFL preseason action gave the Raiders a fresh glimpse of what the future could look like under center. He came in to relieve Kirk Cousins and handled the moment with poise, completing 10 of 16 passes for 97 yards while showing a quick release and a solid command of Klint Kubiaks offense. Even with some pressure around him, Mendoza looked like a quarterback who belonged on the field and one who could grow into much more than a backup role.
The appeal for Raiders fans is obvious: there was enough there to imagine a longer runway, not just a solid debut. Mendoza took a sack and had to navigate a defense that made him work, but he still found a way to move the offense and finish with a touchdown, the sort of early sign that can fuel optimism in a franchise always looking for stability at the position. Under Kubiak, the Raiders have at least one young passer giving them a reason to keep watching. [Read more 🡒]
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For the rookies and younger players, the first real test is likely to come in the areas that can decide roster spots quietly but decisively. Kubiak has already mapped out a structured plan for who will play and when, and he has singled out special teams as a place where newcomers can separate themselves as the Raiders start sorting out who can hold up when the intensity rises. [Read more 🡒]