John Spytek made sure to upgrade the Las Vegas Raiders' roster this offseason through every avenue that he could. But none of the moves that he made will rival the excitement of young quarterback Fernando Mendoza finally entering the fold after months of speculation.
And while Raider Nation, by and large, believes that Mendoza will be the future under center and help return this franchise to glory, they aren't (or at least shouldn't be) in a rush to get there. It may be deep into the 2026 NFL season before fans even see Mendoza take a snap in a meaningful scenario.
But the stars could be aligning for Mendoza to have a marquee moment a bit earlier than most expect. Yes, he'll still have to earn the job and beat out Kirk Cousins. If he can do so, though, then an early storybook moment may await the young Raiders signal-caller in Week 1.
Las Vegas Raiders rumored to face Fernando Mendoza's hometown Miami Dolphins in Week 1
While the 2026 NFL schedule will be officially released on Thursday evening, rumors and leaks have been breaking through in the days leading up to the event. One of the most reputable accounts out there is NFL Nerd, and they posted that Las Vegas will host the Miami Dolphins to start the year.
Now, remember that this is just a rumor. This has not been leaked by the league or reported by one of the bigwigs like Adam Schefter, Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero or Jordan Schultz. But if this rumor came true, as they have from this account in the past, what great potential this game has for Week 1.
Not only will this be a favorable matchup for first-time head coach Klint Kubiak, as he faces another first-time head coach with a new general manager who gutted his roster this offseason, but Mendoza could get to start his NFL career against his hometown team.
Again, Mendoza has to win the job. But just imagine the young quarterback taking the field for the first time and welcoming a rival AFC team from Miami to Allegiant Stadium and getting to take them down to start his career. Another chapter in what's been a storybook year for Mendoza.
Fans know the story all too well: Mendoza was underrecruited in high school and snubbed by the University of Miami, coached by his father's former high school teammate, as both a recruit and in the transfer portal. Then he took down the Hurricanes in the National Championship in Miami.
It obviously wouldn't be quite the same thing, as the game wouldn't take place at Hard Rock Stadium, and the game would have far fewer implications. But Mendoza earning the job and getting to take on the team whose games he went to growing up, in Week 1? That's still very storybook.
Most players have to wait years for a magical moment on the field, if they ever get one. And again, Raider Nation is doing its best to be patient with Mendoza, as he's not guaranteed to start. Opening 2026 with an emotional win for Mendoza would be quite the bang to start his career with, though.
Although this hasn't been confirmed, let's just all close our eyes and imagine a world where Mendoza gets it done in Week 1 and continues his reign over his hometown teams, launching the Raiders to a 1-0 record early in his career.
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