A big reason Fernando Mendoza is set up for success with the Las Vegas Raiders is his new head coach. Early in his NFL career, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft is already seeing one major similarity between Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak and his former Indiana coach, Curt Cignetti.
It wasn’t all roses at the University of Indiana for Mendoza playing under Cignetti, but there was a huge payoff for the rookie quarterback. Cignetti's demanding approach forced Mendoza to focus on every aspect of his mechanics, footwork and preparation. That attention to detail helped lead Indiana to a national championship while also propelling Mendoza to the 2025 Heisman Trophy.
While appearing on “The Rush with Maxx Crosby” podcast, the top pick in the draft highlighted a similar trait he sees between his old head coach and his new head coach.
"I think the example of, you know, in practice you'll have a good play," Mendoza said, as transcribed by NFL.com. "For example, you make a big completion, and you're looking forward to seeing it on film, and then both of those guys would be like, 'Come on, really? You took an extra hitch,' or 'Come on, instead of five yards you were at four and a half.' And you're like, 'What? I literally took the perfect footwork, perfect read, perfect throw, awesome explosive play.' And you're like, 'Bro, you got to give me a break, what's this guy talking about?' Then you see, especially with Cignetti, having spent a whole season with him, like when he's riding me on all these things in fall camp, I'm like, 'You've got to be kidding me,' and then the season you see it show up. And it's like OK, that pass was completed by this much because I was at the right depth or because I didn't take the extra hitch."
Fernando Mendoza believes Kubiak's coaching style will accelerate his NFL development
It's those small details that often separate successful NFL quarterbacks from those who never reach their potential. Arm talent alone isn't enough. Without demanding coaching and constant refinement, even franchise-caliber quarterbacks can stall in their development. There are several examples of that in the NFL. So, for Raiders fans it must be encouraging that Mendoza is getting the same type of coaching and attention to detail from Kubiak as he received from Cignetti, an observation he also detailed in the podcast interview.
"You see the same similarities with coach Kubiak pushing and really making sure you're doing everything, rather than giving you a pat on the back, finding something to improve, because I have a lot to improve on," Mendoza continued.
With his status as the top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and potentially the answer the Raiders have been looking for at quarterback, the organization is taking a patient approach. Bringing in veteran Kirk Cousins allows Mendoza to develop without the immediate pressure of starting Week 1 while still creating a competitive training camp environment. How quickly he adapts to Kubiak's coaching could ultimately determine when he takes over the offense.
So far, Mendoza appears to be embracing Kubiak's demanding coaching style rather than resisting it. Considering how that same approach helped transform him into a national champion and Heisman Trophy winner at Indiana, the Raiders have every reason to believe they're developing their franchise quarterback the right way.
The only question now is how long it takes before he's under center.
Add us as a preferred source on Google