Fernando Mendoza Makes NFL Debut in Las Vegas Raiders' Blowout Loss

The Las Vegas Raiders introduced rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza to the field during their Sunday loss to the New England Patriots, marking his NFL debut. Mendoza entered the game in the fourth quarter, replacing starter Kirk Cousins.

Mendoza completed six of eight passes for 48 yards. He led a drive that reached New England territory before the Raiders turned the ball over on downs. Reflecting on the drive, Mendoza stated he should have thrown a pass to Deven Thompkins over the middle, taking responsibility for the outcome of that play.

"That is totally my fault and I let the offense down on that play," Mendoza told reporters. "… I need to work on my speed, because I wasn't fast enough to get the edge, but I need to stand in there and throw the ball over the middle."

The appearance comes nine months after Mendoza won a national championship at Indiana. "It wasn't a great experience because of the overall outcome," he said. "I wanted to do my part, any way I can help the team. I was called upon and I appreciate all of my teammates, especially some of the starters going out there and having that fighting effort. Entering in what you would call your NFL debut, it's a good experience. Every rookie has it at some point. It was just that time."

Kirk Cousins, the Raiders' 38-year-old starter, had a solid performance prior to being replaced, completing 19 of 28 passes for 243 yards and one touchdown. First-year head coach Klint Kubiak confirmed Cousins will remain the starter as the team prepares to host Buffalo next week. Kubiak stated his intention was to "get [Mendoza] some exposure" and praised his performance, emphasizing the value of regular-season reps for the rookie.

Cousins also offered encouragement to Mendoza, saying, "He did a nice job. I thought he played well. He did a good job."

Mendoza expressed his commitment to staying ready for future opportunities. "I'm going to keep controlling the controllables," he said, "but it is good experience to have some regular-season snaps to go off and evaluate and get better from."

Raiders minority owner Tom Brady was not present at the game. Brady, who played the majority of his 23-year career with the Patriots, was covering the 49ers-Seahawks game for Fox from Seattle. The Patriots' Drake Maye had a strong outing, completing 26 of 34 passes for 374 yards and four touchdowns, leading his team to a 3-2 record. Maye acknowledged Mendoza's potential, stating, "I really respect the way he speaks about his faith, handles the media and just tries to be himself. I think he's got a bright future in this league, and I know whenever his time is, it's going to come, and he's going to do his thing. But right now, Kirk is playing some good football."