It took longer than it did for most first-overall quarterbacks, but Fernando Mendoza’s time has come in Las Vegas.
Tuesday’s trade of Kirk Cousins means Mendoza is now the No. 1 quarterback for the Raiders, and he will make his first NFL start in Sunday’s game against the Seahawks. The Raiders entered the season determined to give Mendoza as much time as possible to learn from Cousins, and their 4-5 start allowed them to stick to the plan rather than turn their attention to the future.
The move would have taken a little longer if the Vikings weren’t motivated buyers after Monday night’s disastrous performance against the Bills, but general manager John Spytek said in a news conference Tuesday that the trade wouldn’t have happened without Mendoza telling the team he’s ready.
“It’s something he’s been working hard on since he walked into this building,” Spytek said. “He passed every test. I want to stop short of saying he’s earned it, but he put us in a position where we had to make a really tough decision today with his growth as a person, as a teammate, as a leader, as a quarterback.”
While the Raiders think Mendoza is ready, it’s a big change going from the practice field to game action, and the Seahawks are a tough first opponent for the rookie. The Raiders drafted Mendoza to be their leader, however, and coach Klint Kubiak said Mendoza has “exceeded those expectations” while learning from a good teacher.
“I think with the right role model that will accelerate his growth and we had, you know, we had the right role model,” Kubiak said.
Becoming a starter is just the beginning for Mendoza and begins an era that the Raiders hope will return them to the upper echelons of the AFC for years to come.
