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Fernando Mendoza Scores First TD as Raiders Lose

8/14/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza threw a 6-yard touchdown pass in his preseason debut on Aug. 13, becoming the first No. 1 overall pick to do so since Baker Mayfield in 2018.
He completed 10 of 16 passes for 97 yards and a touchdown as the Raiders fell 27-14 to the Arizona Cardinals.
Coach Klint Kubiak called Mendoza an ascending player, praised his huddle command, and reiterated that veteran Kirk Cousins remains the starter.

History

Historical Context

On January 27-28 1970, the newly merged NFL held its draft at New York’s Belmont Plaza Hotel, and the Pittsburgh Steelers used the first overall pick to select quarterback Terry Bradshaw. The draft followed the league’s realignment that created the AFC and NFC, giving teams fresh talent pools to rebuild after the AFL-NFL merger. Bradshaw’s selection illustrated how top picks shaped post-merger rosters.

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Story summary

Rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza threw a 6-yard touchdown pass in his preseason debut on Aug. 13, becoming the first No. 1 overall pick to do so since Baker Mayfield in 2018.
He completed 10 of 16 passes for 97 yards and a touchdown as the Raiders fell 27-14 to the Arizona Cardinals.
Coach Klint Kubiak called Mendoza an ascending player, praised his huddle command, and reiterated that veteran Kirk Cousins remains the starter.

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