The Las Vegas Raiders‘ newest quarterback recruit Fernando Mendoza is itching to kick off his tenure with the team—but first, he’s giving himself some time to get to grips with his new hometown in Nevada, specifically the dry desert heat.
Indiana Hoosiers alum Mendoza, 22, was selected by the Raiders as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft, a milestone that he celebrated at home in Florida with his parents at the family’s $2.5 million Miami abode.
Having eschewed the opportunity to travel to Pittsburgh for the official NFL draft event in order to stay with his mother, who has multiple sclerosis and was unable to travel, Mendoza has now flown the family nest. He revealed in a new interview with People magazine that he’s already settled into life in Las Vegas ahead of the Raiders’ training camp.
The sporting prodigy explained to the outlet that he wanted to give himself ample time to acclimatize, particularly when it comes to the incredibly dry, hot weather in Nevada. He’s already had a few issues as a result of the arid climate, he explained.
“It’s very dry over here,” he shared. “I need to get chapstick, my skin’s been crackling a little bit.”
And it’s not just cracked skin that Mendoza has to worry about—he also wants to make sure he’s at peak physical fitness before he begins training with his new teammates, a feat that is not easy to achieve in such extreme conditions.
“I spent a lot of the off season in Vegas to make sure that I’m in tip-top shape come training camp,” he went on. “To make sure I’m acclimated with the heat, with the weather, and most importantly, with the playbook and my teammates as well.”
Mendoza will soon get the opportunity to put his preparedness to the test, having joined his fellow Raiders rookies at training camp in Henderson, NV, on July 23. The team’s veterans players will have another week off.
On his first day at the camp, the quarterback officially signed his contract with the team: a four-year deal worth $57.27 million, with an option for a fifth year.
“I’m excited to get this thing signed,” the rookie said in a video shared by the team. “Excited to be a part of the Silver and Black. Can’t wait. Appreciate you guys’ all support. Let’s get this thing rolling.”
It remains to be seen, however, whether Mendoza will roll straight onto the starting lineup, or whether he will be required to play second fiddle to veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins, who signed his own one-year deal with the team in March.
According to ESPN, all signs point toward Cousins being given the big job in the first few weeks of the season. During the Raiders’ offseason program, he “received most of the first-team reps,” while Mendoza spent much of his time playing with the third team, the outlet notes.
When Cousins was signed, it was widely reported that he had been brought onto the team to serve as a kind of mentor for Mendoza, while also giving the Raiders a solid, reliable quarterback option who can steer the team while the rookie gets his bearings.
“The expectation is for Cousins to begin the season as the starter,” the outlet reports. “If the Raiders are playing well with Cousins under center, that could delay Mendoza’s starting debut.
“If Las Vegas is struggling five to six games into the season or Cousins is not living up to expectations, it would make sense for the Raiders to turn to Mendoza.”
The Raiders first preseason game is scheduled for Aug. 13, when they go head-to-head against the Arizona Cardinals, followed by a matchup against the Houston Texans.
Their season will kick off in earnest on Sept. 13, when they will face the Miami Dolphins—Mendoza’s home team.
Still, Mendoza made clear to People that he’s in no rush to steal the starting position, telling the outlet that he was well aware there would be “growing pains” throughout his rookie season. He noted that he does feel there has been “a lot more growing than pains” thus far.
“At the end of the day, I’m only 22 years old, which is still very young in my book,” he went on. “And I believe I still have a lot of life yet to live. It’s very exciting at 22 years old, I have this opportunity, so I wanna take the most out of it.”
It’s unclear where Mendoza plans to base himself in Nevada—although he will have plenty of teammates to turn to for advice when it comes to selecting a Las Vegas–area abode.
Now that his contract has been signed, he has more than enough funds to purchase a very impressive starter home near the Raiders stadium—although many of his teammates choose to reside in more suburban areas nearby, such as Henderson and Summerlin.