Fernando Mendoza has made no secret of his desire to land with the Las Vegas Raiders. During a whirlwind of Super Bowl media appearances Friday, the Indiana quarterback and projected No. 1 pick amplified that message directly to the team’s fan base.
On the “Up & Adams Show,” a fan shouted that he couldn’t wait for Mendoza to be a Raider. Mendoza replied, “God willing.” Moments later, the audience broke into “Raiders” chants. “Raiders fans are some of the best fans in all of the NFL,” Mendoza said. “They’re diehard, they’re loyal, and they really go all-in for their team.”
The 22-year-old Heisman Trophy winner, who led Indiana to a 16-0 season and its first national championship, made a promise to whichever team drafts him. “I’m going to make sure and try and give it my all and control all the controllables in order to be set up like either Drake Maye or Sam Darnold one day, competing for (the Lombardi Trophy).”
Mendoza also addressed his leadership style, emphasizing collaboration. “It’s not just one guy that’s going to come in and just completely supersede everything,” he said. “There are so many great veterans on every team, including the Raiders, like Maxx Crosby… I’m going to do everything I can and ask those veterans ‘How can I help as a leader?'”
On “The Herd with Colin Cowherd,” Mendoza crossed his fingers when Cowherd projected him to the Raiders. He also reflected on the national championship game against Miami, which featured two first-round edge rushers. “The margins are so small and it’s going to be a dog fight every single week,” he said. “And I think the Miami game was a great experience because you’re gonna get roughed up. So what? Cry about it. But you’re going to need to be able to deliver in the big moments.”
Mendoza also weighed in on Raiders-related Super Bowl storylines: minority owner Tom Brady and likely head-coaching candidate Klint Kubiak. He told ESPN’s Pat McAfee that Indiana used elements of Kubiak’s system. “Throughout this entire season, we actually had a little bit of a Kubiak, (Sean) McVay system – not for our RPO system but for our play action,” Mendoza said. “And I think the way he’s developed Sam Darnold has been phenomenal.”
When asked by Cowherd whom he models his game after, Mendoza named Brady. “As a child I was always a huge Tom Brady fan,” he said. “Like Tom: I’m not the biggest, I’m not the fastest, I’m not the strongest. But the edge is in the intellect and preparation.” He added on “Up & Adams” that he’s read Brady’s book, “The TB12 Method,” and found it surreal that Brady watched him in the national championship game.
Mendoza confirmed he will skip the NFL combine and instead throw at his own pro day for Indiana teammates. “I just want to help my guys,” he said.
