Fernando Mendoza has spent much of his first few months in the NFL watching, learning and practicing. That changes Sunday, when he makes his first regular-season start for the Las Vegas Raiders against the Seattle Seahawks, whose defense helped lead them to last season’s Super Bowl title.
The rookie said taking over as the starter is a major opportunity, but he’s trying not to make too much of the moment. His work with veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins, who had been the starter, has helped him grow more comfortable with the position and earn the confidence of his teammates and coach Klint Kubiak.
Mendoza, the first overall pick in April’s draft, said he has improved in areas including playing under center, building connections with teammates and learning an NFL offense. He added that he intends to keep developing.
His teammates say they’re confident in him. Tight end Brock Bowers said he was looking forward to seeing Mendoza’s first start and noted that the rookie can move on quickly after a mistake.
Wide receiver Tre Tucker also pointed to Mendoza’s consistency. The rookie has practiced with the team throughout the season, Tucker said, and looked settled while taking first-team reps Wednesday.
The Raiders traded Cousins to the Minnesota Vikings before Tuesday’s deadline, sending a third-round draft pick in return. The move brought Cousins back to a team and offensive system where he had success from 2018 to 2023, and reunited him with coach Kevin O’Connell.
Mendoza said the trade surprised him; he hadn’t expected his mentor to be moved. He said he understood that such changes are part of the business and was looking forward to seeing what came next for Cousins.
Mendoza won the Heisman Trophy last year after leading Indiana through an undefeated season and to the first national championship in the program’s history. The Raiders had planned to develop him gradually, bringing in Cousins as a bridge starter.
Cousins helped the Raiders improve on their win total from the previous season. In nine starts, he passed for 2,340 yards, 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He also ran for a touchdown and threw another, though he was intercepted three times in what became his final start for Las Vegas.
