Fernando Mendoza praises Raiders’ fight after brutal loss to the Patriots in NFL debut

Fernando Mendoza’s NFL debut came in the middle of a blowout, but the Las Vegas Raiders’ rookie quarterback found something to appreciate in his teammates despite a 45-17 loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday. 

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft entered with just over six minutes remaining, with the Raiders trailing by 28 points. 

Although the circumstances were far from ideal, Mendoza praised his teammates for continuing to compete and fight for a chance to win, even as the game slipped out of reach.

MARCA correspondent Nacho García captured the words of one of the most promising quarterbacks in recent years.