Bray Hubbard #18 of the Alabama Crimson Tide sacks Fernando Mendoza #15 of the Indiana Hoosiers during the game at Rose Bowl on January 1, 2026 in Pasadena, California. Does No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza being emotional on the podium in early August preseason raise the question of taking too much blame on himself? Why did his 'good guy' vibe grab so much attention from a former coach? The Las Vegas Raiders' quarterback faced the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday. Mendoza finished 10 of 16 passing for 97 yards and threw a touchdown to wide receiver Jack Bech. But Indiana’s product wasn't happy, Mendoza feels there was a lack of timing. About his professional debut, he says: “Overall, I felt the group that I was in with, they blocked fantastic,” Mendoza said. “They had great routes. The run game was good. Unfortunately, I let my teammates down today. But it's a growing experience.” Fernando Mendoza #15 of the Indiana Hoosiers celebrates a touchdown during the game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Rose Bowl on January 1, 2026 in Pasadena, California. Ric Tapia - The Sporting Tribune Fernando Mendoza #15 of the Indiana Hoosiers celebrates a touchdown during the game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Rose Bowl on January 1, 2026 in Pasadena, California.
Former Browns coach Eric Mangini couldn't believe what Mendoza was saying to the media. Mangini, an analyst for Fox Sports' First Things First, expressed his stance on Friday on TV against the 'good guy' perspective in sarcastic words. Mangini's reaction came after Mendoza said that he disappointed the team following the Raiders' preseason loss. “I get it, you're a good guy… This is preseason. You didn't let anybody down.. When you got hit, that let me down. But the other part, no... I don't think that flies in the locker room for a while.”
“I get it, you’re a good guy… This is preseason. You didn’t let anybody down.. When you got hit, that let me down. But the other part, no... I don’t think that flies in the locker room for a while.” Coach Mangini reacts to Mendoza saying he let team down after preseason loss: pic.twitter.com/NsyIwVwkya — First Things First (@FTFonFS1) August 14, 2026
Mendoza forced the ball on his first drive, which ended up hurting a teammate. He took a sack near the goal line that he could have avoided. That is why, being self-critical, the QB is talking about his mistakes in his own words. General Manager John Spytek believes that winning the Heisman and being the top pick won't change this great person. Spytek talked about Mendoza's accountability to the entire organization: “Just a great person,” Spytek said. “Raised the right way, great family. He's about the right things. It's about his team. It's about winning. It's about doing the right thing, being accountable to the whole organization. It's very little to do with all the accolades he got after they won all those games.” The Cuban-American admired Tom Brady in his childhood, and now he plays for the same owner. Mendoza is known for his precision and accuracy, which are a sign of his superpower. His best throw was a 19-yard strike from under-center play-action on Thursday. The rookie QB said that his throws were off rhythm. He compared his predictive ability to the nearly flawless drives made by Kirk Cousins. During the game, Mendoza commented on his connection and timing with his receivers: “There's other passes I made that did not have great timing and anticipation,” Mendoza said. “But that was one that was a good connection. You see (starter) Kirk (Cousins) is timing and anticipation - boom, boom, boom. So that's an area I've got to grow in.” In Week 1, Cousins is a contender for starting the job. Mangini is giving a warning about making fake images in the locker room, it is like a person who says 'I love you' all the time. Mendoza will be ready for his next test against the Houston Texans. The national champion won’t be bothered by the big praise, small mistakes matter more to him now.