Mendoza’s First Ride Is a Wild One: 97 Yards, a TD, and a Whole Lot to Learn
LAS VEGAS -- The Fernando Mendoza era officially has a first chapter. And just like any good rookie debut, it was messy, electric, and impossible to look away from.
The Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 overall pick stepped into Thursday night's preseason matchup against the Arizona Cardinals and delivered a stat line that pops: 10-of-16 passing, 97 yards, one touchdown, four drives. But Mendoza isn't here for moral victories. The Raiders fell 27-14, and the rookie's night was a mix of smooth dimes and rookie-in-the-headlights moments.
Still, coach Klint Kubiak came away believing in the process. “I see an ascending player,” Kubiak said. “We just got to keep getting better.”
First-Round Poise, Rookie Jitters
Mendoza entered with 3:39 left in the first quarter, facing a tough act to follow: Kirk Cousins opened the night like a surgeon, going 5-of-6 for 50 yards and hitting Michael Mayer for a 13-yard touchdown.
Mendoza's first drive? Not so clean. Two incompletions, a quick punt, and a young QB who admitted he let the moment get to him. “I felt too much excitement,” he said. Give his teammates credit: they settled him down.
Then the switch flipped. On his second drive, Mendoza threaded a 19-yard strike to Malik Benson between Arizona's backers and safeties. Rookie running back Mike Washington Jr. ripped off a 53-yard run, and Mendoza capped it with a 6-yard touchdown pass to Jack Bech, tying the game at 14.
It was a sequence that made the hype make sense. But Mendoza, ever the perfectionist, immediately turned to the negative: the misthrows, the misreads, the timing and anticipation that still need work.
“It showed me that I need to grow a lot,” Mendoza said. “I'm definitely [watching the film] after this. I have nothing else to do tonight.”
The Grind Continues
His third drive stalled in a three-and-out. His fourth? Better. He completed four passes for 44 yards, pushing Las Vegas into field goal range — only for kicker Kansei Matsuzawa to push a 38-yard attempt wide.
The numbers say Mendoza is already making history: he's the first No. 1 overall pick to throw a touchdown pass in his preseason debut since Baker Mayfield in 2018. The tape says there's plenty of runway left.
“I just love his operation,” Benson said. “The clear communication, the huddle. He's very confident. But obviously, there's a lot of work that all of us as a team [have] to do.”
For now, the job remains Cousins'. Kubiak made it clear: “It's his job to lose.”
As for the biggest surprises of Mendoza's first NFL game? The speed of the pros — and the commute. “That was the first time I've ever done that because usually college, you just hop on the bus,” he said. “It's very regimented, so there's a lot more autonomy that you get as an NFL player, a lot more flexibility, and I think that's going to be beneficial in the future.”
Mendoza's future looks bright. His present is still under construction. And Thursday night was the perfect first look at both.