Fernando Mendoza ‘a lot more confident’ ahead of Raiders starting debut

Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis took a perch Wednesday morning at his team’s practice, the first as the starter for his quarterback Sunday — and the next 15 years he surely hopes. Fernando Mendoza emerged afterward in a white Raiders T-shirt, matching shorts, a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye.

The franchise is his.

“Those mental reps on the sideline during the games … they were great,” Mendoza said at the podium inside Intermountain Health Performance Center, his wavy brown hair freshly tapered for his first public showing as an NFL starter.

“However, there’s nothing like game experience and game reps because the best vision is when you’re in the pocket rather than adjacent on the sideline.”

Mendoza had the reins of the Raiders offense for the first time, replacing Kirk Cousins amid the Tuesday trade that sent him back to the Minnesota Vikings. The 23-year-old, drafted first in April, had nine weeks to learn as the backup to Cousins, who led Las Vegas to a 4-5 record with 20 touchdown passes and eight interceptions.

Go figure Mendoza’s first weekly news conference began with a touching tribute to Cousins, signed in April to lead the franchise but also mentor the soon-to-be starter.

Said Mendoza, thanking Cousins, his wife, Julie, and sons Cooper and Turner: “They’ve essentially taken me into their household when they were here and they welcomed me with open arms. And it would have been really easy for Kirk, being a veteran quarterback and having already proved everything, to be a little bit more dismissive.

“But he had me with open arms and has taught me so many things. … I really appreciate him, and it was heartfelt to see him as he was a great mentor.”

The mentee had more than six months to prep for the matchup Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks, harkening back to “Spring Fernando” as quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan evokes. Referenced as such sometimes by Sullivan, reflecting his development, Mendoza said he’s “a lot more confident” at this point in the season.

Added Mendoza, who debuted last month in the fourth quarter of a 45-17 loss to the New England Patriots: “Whether it’s under center, connecting with teammates, understanding an NFL scheme, there’s so many areas that I’ve improved on and I look forward to keep on improving because there’s still a lot of work to do.”

Mendoza said he didn’t have “an inkling” Cousins was going to be traded and learned it happened in the locker room. He hopes they connect in the offseason and said they might talk after their games — Cousins and the Vikings, contenders in the NFC, play the Green Bay Packers — but either way, he’s excited to see him in the future.

He also said it’s a “team decision” to continue the tradition Cousins started of eating at In-N-Out Burger after wins, but if the Raiders do so, he’ll foot the bill.

First things first, Sunday versus Seattle.

Mendoza’s first practice at the starting quarterback was a walk-through, he revealed, and coach Klint Kubiak said “it went well” and that “he was prepared.” Kubiak, for the umpteeth time, said Mendoza’s “daily preparation is up to standard” and noted that he needs now to prove it in-game.

“We put all those guys through the same things (in meetings and practices),” Kubiak explained, “except now he gets the reps in practice, so he gets way more repetition and doesn’t have to watch the play behind the play.”

He left that Wednesday morning to Davis, perched by the practice field.

Proudly, probably.

“I think it was a great lesson that I learned early on, to try to be yourself,” Mendoza said. “And we have so many great teammates in there, and I can’t thank all of them enough for how they’ve brought me in, supported me. Those are my brothers, and I’m so excited to go to war with my brothers and be able to fight every single play and do everything I possibly can to help us all succeed.”

Contact Sam Gordon at [email protected]. Follow @BySamGordon on X.