Fernando Mendoza drops major hint about preferred NFL team

2026-02-07 · Yahoo Sports

Fernando Mendoza drops major hint about preferred NFL team originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Fernando Mendoza insists his focus remains squarely on the NFL Draft process. But the projected No. 1 overall pick and Heisman Trophy winner revealed a bit of his future during a TV interview Friday.

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While on The Pat McAfee Show, the former Indiana quarterback detailed the offensive systems he has studied in preparation for the next level. In doing so, Mendoza went out of his way to praise Klint Kubiak and the structure of the scheme associated with his coaching tree.

“We actually had a little bit of a Kubiak, kind of McVay system,” Mendoza said, citing his familiarity with outside zone runs, play action concepts and bootlegs. He also pointed to Kubiak’s work with quarterbacks, including the recent development of Sam Darnold, as particularly impressive.

The breakdown also shows Mendoza is way beyond his years in terms of football IQ. He's able to recognize parts of the game other signal callers tend to gloss over at his age. He noted he was following Kubiak’s offensive breakdowns well before reports linked him to the head coaching vacancy with the Las Vegas Raiders.

Fernando Mendoza says on @TheHerd that he was a huge fan of Tom Brady growing up:

“I read the TB12 book. I was always big on preparation. Because, like Tom, I’m not the biggest, I’m not the fastest, I’m not the strongest. But the edge is in the intellect and preparation.” https://t.co/4VogMUSIaJ pic.twitter.com/28IDsgpH2m
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) February 6, 2026

As examples of how the right structure can accelerate a rebuild, Mendoza referenced the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots, franchises he said quickly shifted from the margins to championship contention.

Indiana's Heisman also spoke highly about Tom Brady, who is now a minority owner with the Raiders. Mendoza told Colin Cowherd that Brady’s preparation and discipline resonated deeply with him, particularly given his own lightly recruited background.

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With Las Vegas holding the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and widely expected to target Mendoza, the connections are difficult to overlook.

While he maintains that development remains his priority, Mendoza’s comments suggested a quarterback already envisioning the right fit and perhaps the right franchise for his NFL future.

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