Yahoo Sports NFL on Fernando Mendoza

ArticleFormer Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza to start for Las Vegas Raiders
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Fernando Mendoza, the former Indiana football quarterback, Heisman Trophy winner, Big Ten champion and national champion, will start at quarterback for the Las Vegas Raiders, per reporting from ESPN and NFL Network's Ian Rapaport. The move comes after the Raiders traded starter Kirk Cousins to the Minnesota Vikings just before today's NFL trade deadline. Mendoza, selected by Las Vegas with the first overall pick in this past spring's NFL Draft, has sat behind Cousins for the first nine games of the season and now is set to lead the team for the remainder of the season.
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Mendoza gets starting role after Raiders trade Cousins; first overall pick gets NFL opportunity

Mendoza, the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, will start at quarterback for the Las Vegas Raiders after the team traded Kirk Cousins to the Minnesota Vikings before the trade deadline. Mendoza had been sitting behind Cousins for the first nine games of the season and made his NFL debut in relief in the fourth quarter against New England, completing 6 of 8 passes for 48 yards. The Raiders' decision to trade Cousins signals they are comfortable deploying Mendoza and have shifted focus from winning in 2026 to building for the future.

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