Fernando Mendoza will begin his career on the bench behind Kirk Cousins, and Leigh Steinberg believes the Raiders should view that as a development decision rather than a setback. The rookie quarterback may not play straight away, but the message is that time spent learning can still be the right path for a No. 1 overall pick.
Steinberg pointed to several quarterbacks who used early patience to their advantage, including Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers and Philip Rivers. His argument is simple: a young quarterback can benefit from watching, adjusting and absorbing the speed of the NFL before being asked to carry a team.
Why the Raiders are taking the patient route
Steinberg said competitive players always want to be on the field, but he sees value in allowing Mendoza to watch from outside first. He noted that Mahomes sat behind Alex Smith in Kansas City for a year before taking over and becoming MVP in 2018, a reminder that an early benching does not have to define a career.
That is the context around Mendoza's situation. The Raiders are not simply holding him back; they are trying to bring him along in a league where the jump from college to the NFL can be steep, especially for a rookie quarterback.
Steinberg also stressed how much the game changes once the player is actually out there. The speed is different, the margin for error is smaller, and the pressure on decision-making rises almost immediately.
The challenge of protecting a rookie quarterback
Another part of Steinberg's case is the environment Mendoza is walking into. He said the Raiders do not have the strongest offensive line in the league, which makes careful handling even more important.
For a young quarterback, that matters. A hard start can damage confidence, and Steinberg warned against putting a rookie in a position where mistakes quickly snowball into bigger problems for both the player and the team.
That is why the benching should not be read as a lack of faith. Instead, it suggests the Raiders believe Mendoza's long-term value is best protected by easing him into the job rather than rushing him into every early challenge.
What the examples tell us
Steinberg's examples were not casual references. They were chosen to show that sitting behind an established starter has worked before for top quarterbacks, including Mahomes, Rodgers and Rivers.
The broader point is that a rookie does not need to start immediately to become the face of a franchise. In fact, in Mendoza's case, the Raiders may believe the best way to help him become that player is to delay the pressure, let him learn, and build confidence before the first real live test arrives.
For now, the headline is straightforward: Fernando Mendoza begins his NFL career on the bench behind Kirk Cousins. But if Steinberg is right, that could be the first step in a much bigger story rather than the end of one.
