Fernando Mendoza has been strongly linked with the Las Vegas Raiders to potentially go as the No. 1 selection in this year’s NFL draft. Last week, former NFL quarterback Derek Carr suggested that he would be willing to mentor Mendoza if the Raiders hire him as a consultant or an assistant coach.
However, according to ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler, the Raiders are eyeing a move for 41-year-old QB Joe Flacco to potentially serve as a mentor for Mendoza next season.
“Joe Flacco, who’s been around, has started a lot of games, ” Fowler said on ESPN’s SportsCenter on Monday. “He is available. He is weighing options right now. Speaking of Vegas, I’m told that that is an option for him, that they would have interest in potentially bringing him along, as a backup/bridge, if Fernando Mendoza needs to sit a little bit, assuming they draft him, which they will.”
Flacco earned a Pro Bowl selection last season. He began the 2025 season with the Cleveland Browns before he was traded to the Cincinnati Bengals in October.
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Flacco has been in the NFL since 2008, when the Baltimore Ravens drafted him in the first round that year. He helped the Ravens win the Super Bowl in 2013.
Tom Brady, who was approved as a Raiders minority owner in October 2024, is expected to play a role in the decision-making for the team this offseason.
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Fernando Mendoza led Indiana to national championship in 2025 season
Fernando Mendoza led Indiana to the national championship last season. The Hoosiers finished the 2025 season with a perfect 16-0 record, beating Miami in the national title game.
Mendoza also won the Heisman Trophy last season. The QB opted against partaking in the physical drills at the NFL combine ahead of the draft.