NFL rookie Fernando Mendoza is getting ready for his first season in the league with the Las Vegas Raiders.
While it’s still unclear whether he’ll snag the starting quarterback spot from veteran Kirk Cousins, the Indiana University alum said he’s more than up for the challenge.
In a new interview, Fernando Mendoza also spoke about getting acclimated to the Vegas heat and aridity, noting that he moved to Sin City with the supplies he needed to get him through the season.
Mendoza was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, being selected by the Las Vegas Raiders after leading his Indiana University roster to its first-ever National Championship. Speaking with PEOPLE, Mendoza, 22, opened up about his first few weeks as a rookie and detailed the challenges that come along with it.
“I think the challenge of being a rookie is once you get here, you hit the ground running,” he said. “The vets have around a month, a month and a half before it’s like the playbook, and then you kind of just get thrown in the fire at practices, which is great because then you have positive stress and you’re able to have growing pains.”
But if you ask Mendoza, the challenges of adjusting to the majors have been outweighed by the progress he’s made. “… although it’s a two-part word, growing pains, there’s a lot more growing than there is pains, in that sense,” he said. “So I’ve been able to experience that, been able to overcome some adversity, being able to learn more from my mistakes and not become a repeat offender in my mistakes to make.”
Fernando Mendoza Has Gotten A Lot Of Advice From This NFL Superstar
While being in the NFL comes with its perks, being part of the Las Vegas Raiders might be even better, considering the rookie QB now has a relationship with Super Bowl champion Tom Brady, a minority owner of the Nevada-based team.
According to a previous report from The Blast, Mendoza has been able to connect with Brady, who has given him plenty of advice on life in the league and how to become the best quarterback he can be.
“Tom’s given me a lot of advice — and I like to sometimes keep it close to the vest,” Mendoza said. “However, the one thing that he always says is that, hey, you’re in your early 20s and making sure you do everything possible to be successful and to best serve your teammates and not let your teammates down.”
Fernando Mendoza Said Brady Is Going To ‘Push’ Him
Shortly after the NFL Draft, Mendoza spoke with the media about being selected by the Raiders and even detailed his first conversation with Brady.
“It was fantastic. He gave me the message that he’s going to push me, and he’s not going to be all lovey-dovey,” Mendoza said. “And if the Raiders draft me, he’s going to be a mentor and wants to pour into whatever quarterback the Raiders have, whether it’s me, whether they draft somebody else.”
How Is Mendoza Adjusting To Life In Vegas?
The playbook isn’t the only thing Mendoza has had to adjust to. The longtime Florida resident recently said that, at 22, he’s also learning how to handle a different kind of challenge: surviving the Vegas heat.
“It’s very dry over here,” he said. “I need to get chapstick; my skin’s been cracking a little bit.”
However, the dryness didn’t take the former college athlete completely by surprise.
“… it’s been something that I’ve been able to become accommodated to, and that is why I spent a lot of the off-season in Vegas to make sure that I’m in tip-top shape come training camp. To make sure I’m acclimated with the heat, with the weather, and most importantly, with the playbook and my teammates as well,” he continued.
Mendoza Spent The NFL Draft At Home In South Beach
Fernando Mendoza shares with @richeisen why he will be celebrating the NFL draft at home and not in Pittsburgh.
(via @richeisenshow) pic.twitter.com/Q503CS4woJ
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 20, 2026
Before the NFL Draft, Mendoza made headlines when he told Rich Eisen on “SportsCenter” that he would ditch the in-person event in Pittsburgh to stay home in South Beach.
Although he had positive things to say about the Midwest city, Mendoza said celebrating his draft pick with his family was more important.
“I wanted to stay and make the memory of everyone who poured into my football journey,” he said. “Mentors, coaches, family, friends. I want to share that moment with all of them; it’s gonna be the best memory that I can make rather than limit it to 10 or 12 people in Pittsburgh.”