Fernando Mendoza shares what he has already learned about 'crazy' Raiders fans

Long before the Las Vegas Raiders made quarterback Fernando Mendoza the first overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft, he featured for the California Golden Bears and the Indiana Hoosiers programs. 

During the latest edition of "The Rush With Maxx Crosby" podcast, Mendoza spoke with the star pass-rusher about the team's passionate fan base. 

Fernando Mendoza appreciated Raiders fans before joining the team

"The fans are awesome," Mendoza said, per Austin Boyd of Heavy. "They’re crazy. I didn’t understand the Raiders' mantra and culture growing up on the East Coast in Miami. I got to then understand a portion of it when I was at Berkeley because Berkeley’s right next to Oakland, and a lot of my teammates in Berkeley were die-hard Raiders fans, and just being around Oakland, getting to experience the Raiders, I’m like, 'Okay, these guys are crazy.'" 

Those fans are hoping that Mendoza will prove to be a savior for a franchise that hasn't won a playoff game since January 2003 and hasn't participated in a postseason contest since January 2022. That said, those supporters also may have to wait to see Mendoza take a meaningful regular-season snap, as it is widely expected that first-year Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak will eventually name veteran Kirk Cousins the club's 2026 Week 1 QB1. 

Fernando Mendoza: Being with the Raiders is already a blessing

If nothing else, Mendoza genuinely seems hyped to be in a position where he could possibly serve as the Raiders' franchise quarterback for over a decade. 

"Now being in Las Vegas and, you know, interacting with a lot more Raiders fans, being a part of the Raiders organization, it’s been such a blessing," Mendoza continued. "And you know, whatever they have to say about the Raiders organization, I know whenever I go to a fight every single Sunday, I know I want the people who are going to ride and die, and those are what the Raiders fans and Raiders culture has portrayed to me so far. So I’m hyped, and I’m blessed to be a part of it."

Such comments likely won't hurt Mendoza's popularity among Raiders fans this summer. However, his on-the-field performances will ultimately determine how those often-outspoken supporters feel about him a few years down the road.