The Las Vegas Raiders are juggling two massive decisions at once. The franchise has already interviewed 15 candidates for its head coaching vacancy and still doesn’t have a hire. The QB situation, however, is trending in one direction. Holding the No. 1 overall pick, they are widely expected to select Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza, which could signal a full reset at the most important position. That belief was reinforced this week by Rich Gannon, the last quarterback to truly elevate the Raiders.

Speaking on Raider Nation Radio, Rich Gannon made it clear he sees Fernando Mendoza as a legitimate franchise option and possibly the top pick. While he admitted he hasn’t completed a full breakdown of the QB’s last two seasons, Gannon emphasized what already stands out. He pointed to character, toughness, integrity, and background, noting how little was handed to him early in his career but how he thrived through it all. 

“I think he’s got good mobility,” he said. “He’s got good pocket awareness. I think he’s got good anticipation and accuracy… I think he’s a really coachable guy, and I think he’s the guy that’s going to go real, real early in this draft, if not the first overall pick to the Raiders.” 

The Raiders are weeks away from making the most important draft pick in franchise history. If they secure him, minority owner Tom Brady will be tied to Fernando Mendoza’s development whether he wants that spotlight or not. The former NFL legend knows what elite QB play looks like, but ownership comes with responsibility. If Mendoza succeeds, he will present himself as a stabilizing force. If he struggles, the scrutiny won’t just land on the coaching staff.

Rich Gannon didn’t hesitate to give a reality check about what lies ahead for Fernando Mendoza when he makes it to the pros. The former MVP called the NFL transition a “huge learning curve,” especially in communication. That’s because College QBs don’t necessarily call plays, don’t manage protections, and don’t deal with weekly defensive complexity. In the NFL, terminology, cadence, audibles, and pre-snap recognition are non-negotiable. 

Rich Gannon emphasized that processing speed is critical, explaining how QBs must identify fronts, coverages, rotations, and situational context in seconds. The best QBs, he said, change plays at the line and avoid wasting snaps. That’s how Brady, Peyton Manning, and Drew Brees survived and dominated.

“I think the leadership things will come very natural to him,” he added. “I think even physically, I think he has a lot of the skills, skill sets. I think the other thing is his ability to process quickly and efficiently.”

Fernando Mendoza’s college production explains why teams are willing to bet on his ability to make that leap. He’s coming off an elite season in which he threw for 3,535 yards, 41 TDs, and just six interceptions while completing 72.0% of his passes. He added 276 rushing yards and seven scores on the ground, won the Heisman Trophy, and led Indiana to its first national championship undefeated. While those numbers don’t guarantee NFL success, they demand serious consideration at the top of the draft.

The Raiders haven’t had an elite QB since Rich Gannon, who won MVP in 2002 and led Oakland to a Super Bowl before they came to be known as the Las Vegas Raiders in 2020. That era ended painfully, punctuated by the infamous tuck rule game against Tom Brady’s Patriots. The irony now is impossible to ignore. Two decades later, he is backing the QB Brady may help usher into Las Vegas. And that brings this full circle to the last QB to truly elevate this franchise.

From the Tuck rule to the future

If you bring up the Tuck Rule to any Raiders fan, you’ll still hear anger in their voice. In the 2001 AFC Divisional Round, Rich Gannon’s Oakland Raiders led Tom Brady’s Patriots late in a snow-filled game in Foxborough. Brady was hit, the ball came loose, and Oakland recovered. The ruling on the field was a fumble, but the review changed everything. 

The play was ruled an incomplete pass due to the obscure “Tuck Rule.” New England tied the game, won in overtime, and launched a dynasty. And from there, the Raiders never fully recovered. The rule was abolished in 2013, but its shadow remains. That loss still hangs over this franchise, which makes the symmetry impossible to ignore. Two decades later, Tom Brady is now part of the Raiders’ ownership group, and Rich Gannon is publicly backing the QB his former rival may ultimately help select. 

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Regardless, the Raiders are still far from championship contention. Their roster needs some work, but the head coach’s hiring takes precedence. If Fernando Mendoza becomes what Rich Gannon believes he can be, Las Vegas might finally have some kind of direction. That’s especially important for a franchise that’s been looking for stability since the snow fell in Foxborough.