Player Bio
| HT/WT: 6-5, 236 lbs |
| Birthplace: Boston, MA |
| Age: 22 |
| School: Indiana |
| Experience: R |
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0:47Raiders QB Decision: Kirk Cousins or Fernando Mendoza?
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1:28Who Will Start at QB for the Raiders in Week 1?
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1:28Expectations for Indiana QB Josh Hoover
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0:50Dante Moore Comes Out of Offseason as 2027 QB1
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6:51Former Raiders CEO Talks QB Battle
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1:11Kubiak on Raiders' QB Race: 'We Got Another Week'
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10:15NFL Game Preview: Raiders at Texans
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0:57Takeaways From Fernando Mendoza's Preseason Debut
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1:05Fernando Mendoza Gets Extensive Reps With 1st Team
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10:35NFL Preseason: Overreaction or Reality?
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1:20Fernando Mendoza Will Be Starting For the Raiders Before Week 8: Overreaction or Reality?
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1:09Kirk Cousins' Role in Mendoza's Development
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1:57Finding the Perfect Time to Unleash Fernando Mendoza
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1:36No. 1 Pick Fernando Mendoza Makes Preseason Debut
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1:33Agree or Disagree: Is Dante Moore Than Enough For Oregon?
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1:39When Will Fernando Mendoza Play for the Raiders?
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11:03Preseason Preview: Cardinals vs. Raiders
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0:56Raiders' Biggest Question: Do They Have Enough at WR?
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1:47Expectations for Raiders QB Fernando Mendoza
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8:34CFB Upgrades and Downgrades at QB
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Top Fernando Mendoza News
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Raiders' Fernando Mendoza: Kubiak declines to name Week 1 starter
Raiders coach Klint Kubiak indicated Thursday that he is not yet ready to name a starting quarterback (between Kirk Cousins and Mendoza) ahead of Week 1, Ryan McFadden of ESPN reports.
On that subject, Kubiak noted "we got another week. I don't want anyone to be comfortable in their job...it should always be that way for all positions. So, let's keep going." To this point, the signs have been pointing to Cousins opening the regular season as the starter, and he was among his team's key players who watched Thursday's preseason game against the Texans from the sidelines. Meanwhile, Mendoza played the entire first half of the contest, completing eight of 15 passes for 86 yards and an interception on five drives. It remains to be seen when Kubiak will announce the Raiders' starting signal-caller, but given where Mendoza was drafted, it's assumed that the Indiana product will rise to the top of the Raiders' depth chart eventually, though that ascent seems likely to follow a stint as Cousins' understudy.
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Raiders' Fernando Mendoza: Tosses pick-six in first start
Mendoza completed eight of 15 passes for 86 yards, no touchdowns and one interception in Thursday's 22-20 preseason win over the Texans.
Mendoza made his first start at the NFL level and played the first half, but it wasn't a pretty outing for the rookie first overall pick in his second preseason game. The Raiders were outscored 20-3 during his time in the game, and his first drive ended in an 80-yard pick-six. Mendoza failed to close the gap between himself and Kirk Cousins, who started Vegas' preseason opener and remains the favorite to start for the team Week 1. This poor outing from Mendoza shows why the Raiders' brass would rather let him adjust to the NFL from a backup role to begin his career.
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Raiders' Fernando Mendoza: In line to see first-half action Thursday
Mendoza is expected to play the first half of Thursday's preseason game against the Texans, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Mendoza will start Thursday and play roughly half the game, after which point Aidan O'Connell is scheduled to come in. This will be Mendoza's first start at the professional level, as Kirk Cousins started the preseason opener against Arizona before Mendoza threw for 97 yards and a touchdown in relief. Cousins remains the favorite to begin the regular season as the starter over the rookie first overall pick.
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Raiders' Fernando Mendoza: Gets reps with first-team offense
Mendoza worked with the first-team offense in Tuesday's joint practice with the Texans, Sam Warren of The Athletic reports.
While Kirk Cousins got his normal reps with the ones Tuesday, coach Klint Kubiak kept the starters out there so Mendoza could also get some work in with the starting offense as well. It was the first time this summer that the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft has worked with the first-string unit. The practice reps come after Mendoza had a strong preseason debut last Thursday, completing 10 of 16 passes for 97 yards and a touchdown versus Arizona. Cousins has done nothing to lose his grip on the QB1 gig in Las Vegas, but Mendoza is still a good bet to make starts before his rookie season is over.
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Raiders' Fernando Mendoza: Tosses TD in preseason opener
Mendoza completed 10 of 16 passes for 97 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions and rushed twice for six yards in the Raiders' 27-14 preseason loss to the Cardinals on Thursday.
The highly anticipated professional debut of the No. 1 overall pick officially began on the Raiders' second possession after projected starter Kirk Cousins led Las Vegas to a touchdown on the opening drive. Mendoza's first completion went to Jack Bech for nine yards, and he had a subsequent five-yard connection with fellow rookie Mike Washington wiped out by a holding penalty. Mendoza appeared much more comfortable the second time he had the ball, leading the Raiders on a 10-play, 79-yard march that included a 19-yard completion to Malik Benson and was capped off with a six-yard touchdown pass to Bech. Mendoza played into the fourth quarter and had a solid night overall, but Greg Auman of FOX Sports reports head coach Klint Kubiak said after the game it's still Cousins "job to lose" in terms of the Week 1 starting role.
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Raiders' Fernando Mendoza: Should get plenty of reps
Raiders coach Klint Kubiak said Tuesday that Mendoza will play in Thursday's preseason opener against Arizona and may even get a few snaps with the starting offensive line, Ryan McFadden of ESPN.com reports.
It sounds like Kirk Cousins will make the start, but Mendoza could enter the game fairly early on, and he's expected to play a lot this preseason (if not necessarily Thursday night). Kubiak hasn't announced his Week 1 starter, but Cousins has been treated as the starter throughout training camp.
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