Raiders' Klint Kubiak Reveals What Fernando Mendoza Does After Teammates Leave

The Las Vegas Raiders have yet to turn their offense over to Fernando Mendoza, but the rookie quarterback is making an impression on coach Klint Kubiak long after practice ends.

Kubiak offered an encouraging assessment of Mendoza's development Wednesday, revealing that the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft has been putting in extra work after his teammates have left the field.

According to Sam Gordon, Kubiak said he is "very pleased" with Mendoza's progress and believes the quarterback is doing more than the coaching staff has asked of him.

Kubiak illustrated his point with an example from the Raiders' facility.

"It's as simple as me walking down the hall here to go get in the steam room when everybody's gone, and he's out here on the field by himself," Kubiak said, according to Heavy.

"He's not the only guy who's doing that, but he's putting in the extra time."

The comments underscore Mendoza's commitment to preparing for a bigger role, even as the Raiders continue to evaluate when their prized rookie might be ready to take over.

For a quarterback selected first overall, the expectation is that he will eventually become the face of the franchise. The question for Las Vegas is how quickly Mendoza can make that transition without being rushed into the starting lineup.

Mendoza made his regular-season debut against the New England Patriots on Oct. 11, entering late in a lopsided loss.

His brief appearance demonstrated some of the mobility he could eventually bring to the offense, although the Raiders have remained committed to their existing quarterback plan.

Kirk Cousins continues to start, leaving Mendoza to develop behind the veteran rather than immediately assume control of the offense.

That approach gives Mendoza time to learn the system and adjust to the demands of the NFL while the coaching staff evaluates his progress behind the scenes.

Still, questions remain about when the Raiders might make the transition.

The Raiders have reportedly been developing an internal plan to eventually shift to Mendoza, although no timetable for a change has been announced.

Las Vegas opened the season with three consecutive victories before dropping its next three games, increasing scrutiny of the team's direction.

The Raiders will try to end that losing streak Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams.

While Mendoza waits for his opportunity, his extra work is giving Kubiak another reason to feel good about the rookie's development.