It is very hard to find a quarterback capable of leading an NFL franchise both on and off the field. It is even harder to task one with leading that organization out of the gutter. And it feels impossible when that player is a rookie who has yet to play in a game and isn't even the starter under center.
But such is the case for the Las Vegas Raiders and Fernando Mendoza, who is not only impressing in the early going at his first training camp with his command of the offense, but with his approach to the game in general. For all the traits that he has, Mendoza really has it between the ears.
And the hope is that he blossoms into a franchise quarterback who can actually get the Silver and Black over a massive hump in the AFC West. It doesn't have to happen right away, but ideally, the rookie signal-caller is planting seeds now that will blossom down the line for this organization.
On the field, Mendoza, in his own words, has a long way to go. But when hearing the way that his teammates speak about him, and the way that he conducts himself when addressing the media, it is clear that Mendoza is the exact leader that the team has been missing over the years.
If he can just develop under Klint Kubiak as a player, then the Raiders have someone truly special on their hands.
Las Vegas Raiders have been missing quarterback leadership
To understand what could make Mendoza unique as a leader, let's look at the lineage of quarterbacks that Las Vegas has employed since relocating. To start, Derek Carr was effectively a "franchise guy" for the Raiders, although he never won a playoff game in his nine-year tenure.
He struggled, however, to take accountability in his later years. Carr went through a lot with the Silver and Black, and everyone has their tipping point. But a guy can only point out his teammates' mistakes while saying, "that's on me," so many times before people stop believing that he thinks he is at fault.
Jimmy Garoppolo came to Las Vegas with a strong pedigree and a cool vibe, but he just didn't seem fiery enough to get the team going when the troops needed to be rallied. It's no wonder that he only lasted a half season with the Raiders, although he did support his replacement, which was classy.
Gardner Minshew and Aidan O'Connell never stood on solid enough ground in the organization to gain any kind of serious following in the locker room. Minshew was a down-to-earth guy with a bit of a wild side, but his play on the field prevented him from gaining the respect of his peers.
O'Connell is certainly held in high esteem in the locker room, but he's not going to be the starting quarterback, and leadership has to come from the top. Don't even get me started on Geno Smith, who had a severe allergy to culpability during his one-year stint in Las Vegas.
Between making obscene gestures to fans, blaming rookies in press conference and chalking up his interception issues to "bad luck," the Raiders just haven't had any real leadership under center since the early Carr days. The above has been the standard, which is a low bar for Mendoza to clear.
Fernando Mendoza already earning trust from Las Vegas Raiders
Part of being a leader is earning the respect of your teammates and coaches. Through just a handful of media sessions, it has become quite clear that the young player is already admired by his peers and revered by the staff for his work ethic and preparation, even dating back to the pre-draft process.
"Just because someone says they work hard, there's totally different levels to that. And I would say in the evaluation process that he stood head and shoulders above others that I've been around," Kubiak said of Mendoza, before noting that it doesn't guarantee him anything in the NFL.
What will guarantee him playing time, ultimately, is growth and showing that he can run the offense. And once he's on the field and in the foxhole with the other guys, that's when his leadership can truly break through. Offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko thinks that Mendoza is coming along nicely.
"Obviously, just the command of the offense," Janocko said. "Him being able to articulate things how he sees it. [He] sees it in real time. Takes it from the meeting room and on the board, in the film, [and] brings it out here and be able to see the picture and tie his footwork to that."
But even more impressive than how others speak of Mendoza is how he speaks of himself, his current situation and his teammates. He just simply never takes credit, looking through the window to give praise and in the mirror when he's assigning blame. Here's what he said about Janocko's comments:
"The command comes from the offensive line telling me, 'Hey, you need to be louder in the huddle, we need to hear a better cadence.' I'm learning a lot from those guys, whether it's the offensive line, running backs, tight ends, or receivers. Those veteran guys who are in year two and beyond, them giving me feedback, and then we're all coming together, and they're helping my command."
He even attributed his growth playing under center to the Raiders' linemen, who have stayed after practice and worked with him on snaps so that he can get his new footwork down. Mendoza also raved about all the lessons that he has learned from Kirk Cousins, Aidan O'Connell and the coaches.
And if Las Vegas needs someone to be that standard bearer and uphold the Kubiak and John Spytek ethics of being "all about the work," then they don't need to look any further than their No. 1 pick quarterback. When being praised by the media for his growth, Mendoza refused any compliments.
"I still have a long way to go. I feel more comfortable, but I am nowhere near where I need to be, especially with learning the playbook. And I still need to go a lot longer and attack the playbook harder. So, I'm still a ways away, but I feel like I'm more comfortable."
Mendoza, again, praised his teammates when a media member pointed out that he was correcting guys and communicating even more, taking full command of the second-team offense both before the snap and while the play is going on.
Praising veterans like Maxx Crosby will also go a long way in Las Vegas, as will the humility to admit that you are in a "following role," as Mendoza put it. Lamenting the difference between competing "with" the other quarterbacks instead of "against" them will also do the trick.
Humility and authenticity always win out, as well as a team-first mindset, and Mendoza is putting all of that on display in spades.
"I don't ever think there's one guy. It's a collective effort and it's a whole team," Mendoza said. "Being able to be implemented in this culture has been an amazing experience. Everyone on the team. We have so many great leaders across the offense, defense that have heightened the sense of urgency. That starts with Coach Kubiak. So, I'm taking a following role right now with those veteran leaders. I'm just trying to do my part, focus on the next rep and do everything I possibly can to prepare myself to be the best asset I can for my team. And whatever decision is made at the end, that's fantastic.I'm all for it. I just want the team to win, so that's where I'm at. I believe that we have so many great players on that team and there's a heightened sense of urgency.”
The Raiders haven't had this in a long, long time. Combine that with the fact that he is making strides as a player and looks more and more like he's ready to challenge Cousins for the starting nod, and Mendoza should soon become the leader that this franchise has been missing.
Kubiak said it best when a reporter informed him of Mendoza's assertion that he "has a long way to go."
"I love the mindset that he has. That's [what] all of our players should have."
Sounds like someone worthy of following.
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