Troy Aikman didn’t exactly leave much room for doubt about what he thinks of Fernando Mendoza.
After two preseason games, the Las Vegas Raiders’ No. 1 overall pick has already flashed enough to draw serious attention, and Aikman - who knows the pressure of arriving in the league with a franchise on his shoulders - sounded genuinely impressed before and after the Raiders’ second preseason game against the Houston Texans.
On ESPN’s pregame show with Scott Van Pelt, Aikman was asked whether he had seen early signs that Mendoza is headed in the right direction.
"You know, I don't want to get too far ahead of myself, but he has shown me already, in such a short time, that this young man is capable of being a really great player in this league," Aikman said.
Aikman only doubled down after the game, even with Mendoza’s performance against Houston landing in the up-and-down category.
"I am really impressed with him," Aikman said. "As I said in the game, a lot of quarterbacks come into this league, and they have all this ability, but you just don’t know what kind of leader they are, how important the game is to them.
Are they going to put in the time or do the little things? With him, you check every box and say, if he doesn’t have success with his talent and his mindset of wanting to be great, I would say then, which is oftentimes the case, I’d say the organization failed him and didn’t get enough good players around him.”
That kind of praise carries extra weight coming from Aikman. He was the No. 1 overall pick himself and spent his rookie season in 1989 starting 11 games for a 1-15 Cowboys team, with all 11 of those starts ending in losses. Dallas also had a first-year head coach that season in Jimmy Johnson, which makes the setup feel familiar in at least one obvious way.
Aikman’s own career took off later, with a major assist from a big trade in October of 1989 that the other fan base still looks at with disdain. By his fourth season, the Cowboys were on their way to the first of three Super Bowl titles in four years.
For now, though, the focus is on what Mendoza has shown early. He’s already giving Raiders fans plenty to latch onto, and Aikman’s comments only add to the buzz.
In Other News...
Raiders Center Just Offered A Telling Read On The QB Battle
Joint practices have given the Raiders a useful early window into Fernando Mendoza, and Tyler Linderbaum likes what he has seen from the rookie so far. The center said Mendoza is starting to take command of the huddle and is picking things up quickly, which matters as much as any throw in a competition still taking shape. Linderbaum also pointed to the snap exchange as a key part of the job, a reminder that for a young quarterback, the basics can be every bit as revealing as the highlight plays.
Kirk Cousins remains the standard in the room from a preparation and experience standpoint, and Linderbaum made clear that comparison is part of what Mendoza is working against and learning from. For the Raiders, the comments add a little more texture to a quarterback battle that is still unfolding, with the rookie showing signs of readiness while still having plenty to prove before anything is settled. [Read more 🡒]
Tom Brady Just Sent Raiders Fans A Loud Fernando Mendoza Message
Tom Brady has found a new way to stir up Raiders buzz, and it comes through a piece of memorabilia tied to Fernando Mendoza. The Raiders part-owner recently landed a one-of-one Mendoza rookie card that includes the quarterbacks first NFL autograph, and the deal took weeks of negotiation before Brady finally secured it with a cash payment and an autographed jersey.
Brady then showed off the card publicly, turning a collectors prize into a pointed message about what he sees in Mendozas future. For Raiders fans, it reads like more than just a flex from a Hall of Famer. It is also a sign that Brady views the young quarterback as both a desirable collectible and a possible long-term asset for the team. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Already Moved On From Their Newest Receiver Addition
The Raiders latest receiver shuffle lasted barely a week, with Noah Brown moving on almost as quickly as he arrived. Brown had appeared in a preseason game and finished with one catch for 11 yards, but Las Vegas decided to release him without immediately bringing in another player, a reminder of how quickly the back end of the roster can change in August.
Receiver depth has been a moving target for the Raiders, especially with injuries affecting the group and another wideout expected back soon. Browns departure fits the kind of short-term adjustment teams often make this time of year, when every spot is under review and even a recent addition can become the odd man out in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]