And now a reminder that Fernando Mendoza is going to have some difficult moments as a rookie, even though he was the NFL’s first overall draft pick and is the hope for a bright future for the Las Vegas Raiders.
On his second pass of the preseason game against the Houston Texans on Thursday night, Mendoza threw an interception.
And not just any interception, because Texans linebacker Wade Woodaz plucked the ball out of the air and returned it 80 yards for a touchdown.
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Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza throws against the Houston Texans under pressure during the first half of an NFL preseason game Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
No bueno, as they say in Miami, where Mendoza was born and grew up.
Mendoza, clearly downcast, was seen red-faced on the Raiders sideline after the play even as some teammates tried to console him.
Veteran Maxx Crosby, perhaps the Raiders’ most accomplished player, was among the first to try to console young Mendoza.
“Yeah, that’s football, you know? It’s not gonna be perfect, you know?” Crosby told ESPN’s Laura Rutledge on the sideline. “He’s a rookie. You got to go through, you know, some ups and downs as part of the game, and it’s how you respond.
“So that’s basically what I just told him, keep being yourself, keep playing.”
Maxx Crosby #98 of the Las Vegas Raiders celebrates against the Cincinnati Bengals during the AFC Wild Card Playoff game at Paul Brown Stadium on January 15, 2022 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
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This outing was nowhere near as clean or efficient for Mendoza as his NFL debut last week. Against the Arizona Cardinals, Mendoza completed 10 of 16 passes for 97 yards and a TD pass. More importantly, Mendoza did not throw an interception in that game.
He finished this game completing just over 50% of his passes (8 of 15) and his abysmal passer rating of 42.6 reflected the errant throw returned for a score.
Mendoza was also erratic in the first half before his evening ended. He had the interception, then completed six consecutive throws, then missed on two more throws, although one of those was dropped.
Former NFL quarterback and current broadcaster Troy Aikman is a shareholder in live entertainment company Venu. (© Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images)
“Part of what [Mendoza] will learn as he moves through this game tonight, if he plays next week, and then throughout his rookie season, when he gets on the field, is that the relationship between defender and receiver is a lot tighter than what it was in college,” said ESPN analyst Troy Aikman, himself a former No. 1 overall selection.
“And these guys are that much quicker, and that goes on the inside of the field when they play the ball, as well as on the outside.”
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Shorter transcript: Guys in the NFL are faster and Mendoza needs to figure that out pronto.
In that regard, perhaps Mendoza’s second NFL game and first start will provide exactly that lesson.
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