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Raiders' QB plan reinforced after Fernando Mendoza's NFL debut
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Raiders' QB plan reinforced after Fernando Mendoza's NFL debut

By Paul White  |  Last updated Aug 13, 2026 11:23 PM ET
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Fernando Mendoza is one of the most intriguing NFL stories that fans have watched in a long time. A rather unknown prospect with the California Golden Bears, he transferred to an upstart Indiana Hoosiers program for his final collegiate season and ended up winning the Heisman Trophy and national championship. He went from a stranger in the national media to becoming one of the biggest stars in the nation in the span of a year, and now he hopes to bring that same success to the pros.

The Las Vegas Raiders selected him with the first pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and the fan base was overjoyed to finally have some hope for the future. However, head coach Klint Kubiak made the decision to start him off as the backup, and while he left the door open for Mendoza to push for the starting job, he’ll likely be No. 2 on the depth chart.

This isn’t a surprise, as minority owner Tom Brady has previously discussed the plight of young quarterbacks and being thrown to the fire before they’re truly ready. Mendoza showed a ton of promise in the Raiders’ first preseason game of the year, but he also reinforced the need for him to sit and learn for a while before taking over the reins.

Fernando Mendoza’s debut showed why the Raiders are practicing patience

While his good plays looked like those of a potential franchise quarterback, he still had some shaky moments where he held the ball too long and took a sack or took a big hit in the open field. Mendoza was impressive overall, going 10-of-16 for 97 yards and a touchdown, but there were a few learning moments that made it clear why running the team to start the year might not be the best idea.

The offensive line is still a work in progress, so it would be unwise to let the future of the franchise take a beating if he doesn’t have to. It would be different if he was the lone wolf in the quarterback room, but Las Vegas made sure that wasn’t the case by signing an established veteran quarterback in Kirk Cousins.

The 15-year veteran had a solid showing against the Arizona Cardinals, completing five of his six pass attempts for 97 yards and a touchdown. Cousins had the look of someone who will give his team a fighting chance in a lot of games, so why wouldn’t the Raiders allow themselves to be competitive while still nurturing Mendoza?

It seems like they can have the best of both worlds by establishing a winning culture and also not jeopardizing a player they’ve already invested so many resources into. Mendoza showed flashes of the player he can be, but there’s no need for him to play right away thanks to the Raiders’ smart, safe approach to his rookie season.

Paul White

Paul White is a contract writer from Philadelphia who attended Penn State University. He has contributed hundreds of stories about the NFL and NBA over the years and now brings that experience over to Yardbarker. He is a lifelong Philadelphia sports fan looking to bring the same passion from his city to sports media. 

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