The Seattle Seahawks have made life tough for quarterbacks all season. Now, a former No. 1 overall pick says he wouldn’t want to face them in his first NFL start.
Former NFL quarterback Alex Smith delivered a blunt assessment of what awaits Las Vegas Raiders rookie Fernando Mendoza on Sunday, Nov. 15.
“I’m so glad I’m not in [Fernando Mendoza’s] shoes right now,” Smith said during ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown, according to a clip shared by ESPN.
—Former No. 1 pick Alex Smith on the Raiders QB’s first start against the Seahawks 😬
Smith, the first overall pick in the 2005 NFL draft, knows the pressure that comes with entering the league as a highly touted quarterback.
Mendoza, the No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft, faces the defending Super Bowl champions in his first start. Seattle enters the game at 5-4 with one of the league’s most feared defenses.
And the numbers explain why Smith is relieved to be watching from the studio.
Seahawks Defense Poses Challenge for Fernando Mendoza
Seattle leads the NFL in fewest yards and passing yards allowed entering Sunday’s matchup.
The Seahawks have been especially unforgiving against rookie quarterbacks under head coach Mike Macdonald.
According to the team’s official website, Seattle is 4-0 against rookie starters since Macdonald arrived in 2024.
Those four quarterbacks combined for one touchdown and seven interceptions while averaging just 4.5 yards per pass attempt.
The Seahawks have also held rookie quarterbacks to a 29.9% success rate, according to NFL Next Gen Stats.
Mendoza will try to break that trend with limited NFL experience.
The former Indiana star spent the first nine games behind Kirk Cousins before Las Vegas traded the veteran to the Minnesota Vikings.
His most extensive action came against the New England Patriots on Oct. 11, when he completed six of eight passes for 48 yards.
Now, Mendoza must face a Seattle defense that has frustrated far more experienced passers.
Seahawks’ Byron Murphy Sends Message Ahead of Raiders Matchup
Seattle defensive tackle Byron Murphy II has already made his intentions clear.
“It’s a bit challenging because you have no tape on him,” Murphy told Seahawks.com.
Murphy acknowledged Mendoza’s arm talent but made clear that Seattle intends to attack the rookie in the passing game.
The matchup also carries an unusual coaching twist.
Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak served as Seattle’s offensive coordinator during its Super Bowl-winning 2025 season. He now faces Macdonald, his former boss, with a rookie quarterback running the offense.
Kubiak has expressed confidence in Mendoza’s preparation.
“He’s exceeded those expectations,” Kubiak said of Mendoza’s practice performance.
The Raiders coach also acknowledged that facing Seattle will be a much different test than practice.
Mendoza enters Sunday with a Heisman Trophy, a national championship and the expectations of a franchise riding on him.
Smith knows what that pressure feels like.
And against Seattle’s defense, the former quarterback sounds happy to have left it behind.
Seahawks Draw Blunt Fernando Mendoza Admission From Former No. 1 Pick