Raiders' Fernando Mendoza shares how Klint Kubiak is similar to Indiana's Curt Cignetti

Before rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza began practicing under first-year Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak this past spring, Mendoza played at a level worthy of becoming a national champion and the first pick of the 2026 NFL Draft under Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti.

During the latest edition of "The Rush with Maxx Crosby" podcast, Mendoza spoke with the star pass-rusher about how Kubiak and Cignetti are similar as it pertains to handling players.

Fernando Mendoza improved thanks to some tough love

"In practice, you'll have a good play," Mendoza explained, per Kevin Patra of the NFL's website. "For example, you make a big completion, and you're looking forward to seeing it on film, and then both of those guys would be like, 'Come on, really? You took an extra hitch,' or 'Come on, instead of five yards, you were at four and a half.' ...Then you see, especially with Cignetti, having spent a whole season with him, like when he's riding me on all these things in fall camp, I'm like, 'You've got to be kidding me,' and then the season you see it show up. And it's like OK, that pass was completed by this much because I was at the right depth or because I didn't take the extra hitch."

While not every player would positively respond to receiving that type of so-called "tough love" from a head coach, Cignetti's methods clearly got the best out of Mendoza. Meanwhile, recent reports have noted that Mendoza "had his fair share of growing pains" while learning Kubiak's offense during the Raiders' offseason program. It sounds like Kubiak will spend part of this summer working to coach certain traits out of Mendoza.

"You see the same similarities with coach Kubiak pushing and really making sure you're doing everything, rather than giving you a pat on the back, finding something to improve, because I have a lot to improve on," Mendoza continued. 

Klint Kubiak and Curt Cignetti both preach this one thing

Mendoza seemingly isn't getting any special treatment as the top overall choice of his draft class, as it is expected that Kubiak will eventually name veteran Kirk Cousins the club's Week 1 starting quarterback. As much as Mendoza likely wants to play in meaningful games as soon as possible, he also understands that such opportunities will be earned. 

"And then for my thing, one thing that I think coach Cignetti and coach Kubiak both preach in a way, is that everyone's equal," Mendoza added during the podcast. "And how I see that as a quarterback is killing the ego. Making sure that no matter what success I had at Indiana or what future success or whatever expectation, there's no ego there. The only motivation is getting better."