Fernando Mendoza frustrated after being forced to miss practice
· Yahoo Sports
While the jury is still out on how good Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza will be in the NFL, we can say for sure he’s a hard worker.
We know that because Mendoza, who was the No. 1 overall pick of the Raiders in the 2026 NFL Draft, expressed frustration when he was forced to miss practice recently.
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That occurred because Mendoza was mandated by the league to attend the NFLPA Rookie Premiere from May 14 to 16.
Some people would happily take that as a nice day off from the usual grind, but not Mendoza.
“I’m going to be completely honest with you,” Mendoza said to Sports Illustrated’s Gilberto Manzano. “I’d rather be practicing right now and I was really upset about actually having to miss practice for this. Although it’s great. . . . It’s still been a great moment to where it was mandatory I be here. I’m not going to feel sorry for myself and feel wishy-washy.”
Despite not being where he wanted to be, Mendoza made the best of the situation.
“I’m going to have a smile on my face and make the most of that present moment,” he added. “Live and learn all the [NFLPA] benefits, make all the connections with different mentors here, let me make sure I can maximize my time to be able to create a positive impact and learn about my situation and surroundings.”
What is the NFLPA Rookie Premiere?
Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn ImagesFounded in 1994, the NFLPA Rookie Premiere is an annual event for the league’s draft picks and features a select number of rookies, most of whom play on offense.
“NFLPA Rookie Premiere unlocks unparalleled access to 40+ of the league’s top rookies —creating one-of-a-kind opportunities for brands looking to build player-driven product and campaigns with the next faces of the sport,” the NFLPA says of the event on its website.
“Since 1994, Rookie Premiere has served as players’ first marketing opportunity as a pro, creating partnership opportunities and genuine relationships that extend well beyond their introduction to the league.”
The event also gives us our first look at the rookies in their full uniforms.
Fernando Mendoza’s 2026 outlook
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) runs through a drill during a Rookie Minicamp at Intermountain Health Performance Center. Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn ImagesMendoza isn’t just trying to get acclimated to the NFL, he’s also competing for a starting job with Kirk Cousins.
The Raiders signed Cousins in free agency, and the expectation has been that the veteran is going to start because, as head coach Klint Kubiak has said in the past, he prefers a rookie quarterback to sit initially before taking the reins.
“Ideally, you don’t want him to start from Day 1,” Kubiak said before Las Vegas selected the former Indiana star. “You’d love him to be able to learn behind somebody. That’s in a perfect world. It doesn’t always work out that way. Sometimes they have to play from Day 1, and it’s our job as coaches to get them ready to go. I think it does help the player if they can sit behind a mature adult and watch how they run the show.”
While the Raiders might prefer to start Cousins immediately, the fact of the matter is that Las Vegas will roll with Mendoza if he is clearly the better option.
Even if Cousins manages to secure the starting job to begin the season, there’s a good chance he won’t hold on to it for long.
The veteran signal-caller has clearly declined in recent years and if that continues in Las Vegas, the Raiders could turn to Mendoza sooner rather than later.