The Raiders may have lost Thursday night, but Fernando Mendoza gave Las Vegas fans something much bigger to watch.
The No. 1 overall pick threw his first NFL touchdown during the Raiders’ 27-14 preseason loss to the Arizona Cardinals, completing 10 of 16 passes for 97 yards with no interceptions across four promising drives.
Mendoza looked comfortable making quick decisions and even flashed some creativity with a fake that helped keep the offense moving. For a quarterback Las Vegas has no intention of rushing, it was an encouraging first glimpse.
Head coach Klint Kubiak has called Mendoza an “ascending player”, with veteran Kirk Cousins currently taking first-team reps and positioned to open the season as the starter. Cousins also threw a touchdown Thursday, giving the Raiders a look at both the present and the future of their quarterback room.
Mendoza arrived in Vegas with about as decorated a résumé as a rookie can carry. He won the 2025 Heisman Trophy at Indiana while leading the Hoosiers through an undefeated regular season and ultimately a national championship. Across 16 games, Mendoza finished 273-of-379 for 3,535 yards, 41 touchdowns and six interceptions while adding seven scores on the ground.
Arizona had its own rookie making noise. Running back Jeremiyah Love rushed 11 times for 58 yards, caught three passes for 14 more and flashed his explosiveness with sharp cuts and a hurdle before sustaining a minor ankle tweak.
Raiders running back Mike Washington Jr. also ripped off a long run.
Preseason scores disappear quickly. Mendoza’s first NFL touchdown is one Raiders fans will remember.