The Indiana Hoosiers got to see up close how special Fernando Mendoza is. Last season, he led IU to an undefeated record and a national championship while winning the Heisman Trophy.
That earned him selection as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft by the Las Vegas Raiders, where he was chosen to be their franchise quarterback.
Just one problem in the early going with that plan — the Raiders aren’t playing Mendoza.
They also brought in Kirk Cousins, who was the Week 1 starter and has remained the starter throughout the season.
And right now, it doesn’t sound like that’s changing, either.
On Sunday ahead of Week 8’s NFL games, an ESPN article from Adam Schefter revealed the latest on the Raiders’ plans for Mendoza.
Why Isn’t Fernando Mendoza Playing?
Schefter writes that the Raiders’ upcoming schedule plays a role, as well as simply the fact that Cousins is playing really well.
“The Raiders’ plan continues to be to play Cousins as long as possible, and right now, they don’t believe he is to blame for their recent struggles after a 3-0 start,” Schefter writes. “Cousins leads the NFL with 16 touchdown passes, is third in the league with 1,817 passing yards and has thrown only five interceptions through seven games. The Raiders also would like a veteran quarterback to lead them with their upcoming schedule, according to sources. After Sunday’s game against the Jets, the Raiders face a gauntlet of tough defenses: at the 49ers, home for the Seahawks, at the Denver Broncos and at the Cleveland Browns before a bye in Week 13.”
If the season isn’t going well, it would be logical to turn to Mendoza out of the bye.
“Coming out of the bye, the Raiders have three straight home games against the Los Angeles Chargers, Broncos and Tennessee Titans,” Schefter writes. “The post-bye window could be a time for the Raiders to turn to No. 1 overall draft pick Fernando Mendoza. But in the Raiders’ perfect world, Cousins would finish out the season as their starting quarterback. For now, the Raiders plans to keep Cousins as their starter as long as they can.”
It’s certainly a different plan than most teams have with their rookie QBs in this era. Only time will tell if it was the right decision.
Fernando Mendoza Stats
Mendoza has gotten into just one game — the blowout loss to the Patriots on Oct. 11.
He was 6-for-8 (75%) for 48 yards that day, with his long completion going for 16 yards. Mendoza also ran once for three yards.
At this point, all Mendoza can do is stay ready. Cousins remains entrenched, and the Indiana legend continues to wait his turn.
Why Isn’t Fernando Mendoza Playing? ESPN Reveals Reason Indiana Legend Still Behind Kirk Cousins