Las Vegas Raiders sign No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza to rookie contract
The Las Vegas Raiders have officially signed Fernando Mendoza, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft, to his rookie contract. The Indiana quarterback finalized a four-year deal on Thursday, coinciding with the day rookies reported for training camp.
The contract for Mendoza is a four-year agreement valued at a fully guaranteed $57.27 million. As is customary for first-round selections, his contract includes a fifth-year option. This signing marks a significant step for the reigning national champion and Heisman Trophy winner as he prepares to learn Head Coach Klint Kubiak’s offense.
Contract Negotiations Conclude
Prior to the signing, negotiations for Mendoza’s contract had reportedly stalled. A key point of contention was the payment structure of his signing bonus. According to one report, Mendoza’s representatives sought a single lump sum payment for the signing bonus. This payment method has become standard practice for recent No. 1 overall picks.
However, the Raiders’ standard procedure involves paying signing bonuses in installments. The team reportedly preferred not to deviate from this established practice. Despite this, Mendoza’s side was reportedly reluctant to set a new precedent, given that No. 1 picks in recent years have received their signing bonuses in a single lump sum. The last No. 1 pick who did not receive their signing bonus in a single lump sum payment was Kyler Murray in the 2019 NFL Draft.
The situation with Mendoza’s contract was closely watched, with some reports indicating that other teams with unsigned top quarterback draft picks were waiting to see the outcome of his negotiations. Unsigned rookies are not permitted to participate in training camp, making the resolution of these contract details crucial for players to join their teams.
Mendoza’s Role with the Raiders
While Mendoza has signed, he is not guaranteed to start the Raiders’ 2026 campaign as the primary quarterback. Veteran Kirk Cousins could potentially be the team’s starting quarterback early in the season. Head Coach Klint Kubiak has previously indicated a preference for starting a veteran if the situation is deemed suitable.
This scenario could mean that the upcoming season might be the first since 2022 without a rookie quarterback starting in Week 1. Despite this, Mendoza is widely considered the future of the Raiders organization. The team selected him with the franchise’s second No. 1 overall pick in the Common Draft Era, which began in 1967. The Raiders previously selected LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell as the No. 1 overall pick in 2007.
Mendoza brings a strong winning background to the team. He is only the third quarterback in the Super Bowl era to win both the Heisman Trophy and a national title before being selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the subsequent NFL Draft. The other two quarterbacks to achieve this distinction are Cam Newton in 2011 with the Carolina Panthers and Joe Burrow in 2020 with the Cincinnati Bengals. In the 2025 season, Mendoza led the FBS with 41 touchdowns.
With his contract now finalized, Mendoza can fully immerse himself in training camp activities, which began for Raiders rookies on Thursday, July 23.
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Source: nfl.com
