Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak is not looking for fireworks from rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza. He is looking for sameness.
Asked whether he saw Mendoza “turn it up a notch” in practice this week, Kubiak said no, and he meant it as praise. He said coaches want “no surprises” from players and that “emotionally stable individuals” tend to treat practice and games alike. For a first-time starter, the message is clear: the Raiders want a quarterback who is the same in a stadium as he is on the practice field.
That philosophy has appeal. A rookie facing a full house and a faster pass rush could easily press, and a coach who values composure may help Mendoza avoid the forced throws that sink young passers. Kubiak’s broader tone supports that approach. He called coaching in the NFL a blessing but warned that the league “will chew you up and spit you out,” a reminder that perspective matters when stakes are high.
Still, calm is not the same as readiness…
Kubiak’s own answers reveal how much Mendoza has left to learn. Asked how he teaches the quarterback to trust his eyes and stay in the pocket longer, Kubiak called it “a process” that will last “until the end of his career.” That is honest, but it is also a quiet admission that Mendoza’s tendency to leave the pocket early has not been fully corrected.
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The coach’s guidance on scrambling was the most revealing part of the session. Kubiak wants Mendoza to work through his progressions and run only if nothing is open. When he does run, he must protect himself, because the team needs him “available for the whole season.” Kubiak added that a quarterback should not sell out for a yard on first-and-10. That is sensible, but it puts a young player in a tight spot. Hesitate too long, and sacks and turnovers follow. Bail too soon, and he abandons the very discipline his coach is demanding.
Kubiak also leaned on pedigree. He said he liked Mendoza’s instincts in college and that he identifies instincts when selecting players in the draft. Supporters will say that is exactly the right foundation. Skeptics will note that college instincts do not always survive NFL speed and that Kubiak himself conceded, “we’re all going to see.”
That candor may be the most important takeaway. Kubiak did not promise a breakout or lower expectations. He framed the debut as the beginning of an evaluation, not the end of one.
For a rebuilding Raiders team, that patience could be an asset. Mendoza will probably make mistakes, and how Kubiak responds will say as much about the coach as the quarterback. The first start will not define either of them, but it will show whether a steady philosophy can produce results in a league that, by Kubiak’s own account, gives no one much time.
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