Super Bowl-winning head coach Doug Pederson laid out a bold take on the Las Vegas Raiders' plan for their No. 1 overall pick, quarterback Fernando Mendoza: he thinks they're doing it all wrong by not starting him Week 1. This isn't just some hot take, either. Pederson, who coached the Philadelphia Eagles to a Super Bowl LII victory in 2017, believes the Raiders are making a critical mistake by sitting their future franchise QB behind veteran Kirk Cousins.
Heisman Winner Fernando Mendoza Is Riding the Bench, And Pederson Is Fuming
The Raiders went all in on the future, snagging Fernando Mendoza as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. And seriously, this kid's resume? It's unreal. He led the Indiana Hoosiers to an undefeated season and a College Football Championship, and yeah, he took home the Heisman Trophy, too. Think about that for a second: only three other players in history,Cam Newton, Jameis Winston, and Joe Burrow,have pulled off the Heisman/No. 1 pick double. All three of those guys? They got thrown right into the starting lineup. But not Mendoza. The Raiders' plan is to roll with Kirk Cousins, who they signed to start the season and mentor the young gun. It's a classic approach, no doubt. We've seen it work for legends like Patrick Mahomes, who learned behind Alex Smith, or Aaron Rodgers, who famously sat for three years behind Brett Favre. Jordan Love even waited two seasons for Rodgers, and even Tom Brady spent over a year backing up Drew Bledsoe. So, the "sit and learn" path has its merits, right? Pederson says not for this guy, not now.Why Pederson Demands 'Growing Pains' Now, Not Later
Doug Pederson's not just talking; he's lived this. Back in 2016, his Eagles drafted Carson Wentz No. 2 overall. The initial plan was for Wentz to sit behind Sam Bradford. But then, plot twist! The Eagles shipped Bradford off before the season even started, and Wentz was playing right away. Pederson explains it straight up: he was completely sold on Wentz being *his* guy, the franchise quarterback. So he wanted to get all those rookie "growing pains" out of the way immediately. He believes the Raiders should do the exact same with Mendoza. "Let's get this guy out there Week 1, let's start having our growing pains Week 1," Pederson stated. "Let's not prolong it into October or November or later in the season. Let's get him out there now. Let's get him working with the guys that he's going to be working with. Making the calls at the offensive line, getting Ashton Jeanty the ball." He even pointed out that Klint Kubiak's system, with its play-action and run game, is built for this, citing it as the kind of stuff that helped Seattle win a championship last year! He also recalled Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott calling him in 2018 for advice on Josh Allen. Pederson's response? If you're sold on him as the future, "I think you put him on the field Day 1." The Raiders are trying to play it safe with Cousins mentoring Mendoza, but Pederson's message is clear: playing it safe could cost them the long game. As Vegas heads into the season, every snap Cousins takes is one Mendoza isn't getting, and that decision could hang heavy on the entire franchise all year long. This is a massive gamble, and the future of their No. 1 pick is on the line from Week 1.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.