It’s a curious enough answer, but after a college career in which Mendoza led Indiana to its first national title, perhaps his openness to buy in isn’t surprising.
Mendoza is the centerpiece of a QB room with Cousins, Aidan O’Connell — the only quarterback to start a game for the franchise — and undrafted free agent rookie Jacob Clark.
“Competing with each other [is] push each other to be the best quarterback we can possibly be for the Las Vegas Raiders, and enable [us] to then win as many games as possible,” Mendoza said. “Vs [is] withholding information, perhaps not wishing the best with someone.”
Rookie Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak has said having a veteran starter at the start of the season is his preferred strategy. Therefore, the belief is that Cousins will take the starting reins at least at the beginning of the season.
If that’s the plan, it makes even more sense why Mendoza embraces the sponge method, so to speak, of looking for everyone to learn from everyone.
“It’s basically all in the palm of my hand and I just have to take advantage of it,” Mendoza said.
In that regard, the Raiders offer an opportunity to learn from perhaps the greatest quarterback of all time: the team’s minority owner and seven-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady.
“It’s surreal,” Mendoza said of being able to talk to Brady. “It’s surreal. But, you know, he’s been such a great resource and he’s been, from a young age, he’s been a huge idol of mine and now it’s like, OK, Tom’s a human being. Yeah, he’s a unique human being, but he’s a human being.
“So, take what you can, learn from him and make sure you value this relationship rather than looking at him with flawed eyes every second. He wants to be treated as a human being and he’s like I said a unique person, and he’s someone who has a lot of characteristics and values that I look up to as a footballer and [as] character outside of football. But to have this relationship is surreal and if you had told me that 10 years ago, I would never have believed you.”
The No. 1 pick of the 2026 draft is learning in Las Vegas and the QB race is on; just not in the way we are used to.