Fernando Mendoza Faces Challenges in NFL Preseason
Fernando Mendoza's transition to the NFL has come under scrutiny following his performance in the Las Vegas Raiders' preseason finale against the San Francisco 49ers. Mendoza, who will begin the regular season as a backup to veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins, struggled significantly during the game, completing only 7 of 14 passes for 57 yards, along with one interception and two sacks.
This disappointing outing follows a similar performance the previous week, where Mendoza completed 8 of 15 passes for 86 yards in a narrow victory over the Houston Texans. His best performance came in the preseason opener against the Arizona Cardinals, where he threw for 97 yards and a touchdown.
Despite his struggles, Mendoza's defenders point out that evaluating players during preseason can be challenging due to the limited participation of top players and varying levels of effort from opponents. The Raiders remain committed to Mendoza, who was the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and may turn to him if the team does not perform well under Cousins.
