“The #Raiders are hiring a QB coach after all. Mike Sullivan has been tabbed to work with presumptive No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza, sources tell The Insiders.” Mike Garafolo posted on X, “It’ll be Sullivan’s fifth stint as a QB coach, two with the #Giants and one each with the #Steelers and #Broncos.”

With head coach Klint Kubiak getting a late start in putting his staff together, the team initially missed out on some of the top candidates, but they have now found a solid option.

Sullivan brings plenty of experience with him. He previously served as quarterbacks coach for the New York Giants and was part of two Super Bowl-winning staffs there, including the 2011 season when he held the same role he has now been appointed to.

He has also worked as a quarterbacks coach for both the Denver Broncos and the Pittsburgh Steelers. During his time in Pittsburgh, he coached Ben Roethlisberger in his final NFL season, where he threw for 3,740 yards and 22 touchdowns.

Sullivan’s experience also includes time as an offensive coordinator with both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Giants.

With that kind of background, expectations will naturally be high. After all, last season, the Raiders were far from stable at the quarterback position, with Geno Smith, Kenny Pickett, and Aidan O’Connell rotating at the position, though none of them were able to turn the team’s fortunes around. As a result, the team finished with a 3-14 record, failing to qualify for the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year.

Now, the Las Vegas Raiders are likely to pair Sullivan with one of the draft’s most highly touted quarterback prospects. Such a move could end up boosting his résumé as well.

Mike Sullivan to coach projected first‑round QB Fernando Mendoza

The Raiders are expected to select Indiana’s quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. This is because Mendoza had a tremendous year, leading his team, Indiana, to a national championship and also receiving the Heisman Trophy.

While the former Steelers QB coach has a lot to figure out with this quarterback room, bringing in a talent like Mendoza will provide Sullivan with the perfect opportunity to start fresh. The decision to bring in Sullivan as quarterbacks coach is significant, as he comes with experience in mentoring quarterbacks like Eli Manning, Ben Roethlisberger, and Case Keenum.

The Raiders are already thinking ahead and trying to build the right environment around their Heisman‑winning quarterback, even in free agency.

“The Raiders worked hard in free agency to beef up the roster around Mendoza, specifically landing the best available offensive lineman in center Tyler Linderbaum,” according to Raiders.com. “One area Mendoza will need to work on is being under center. He did that just 3% of the time in 2025; NFL teams played under center on 34.9% of snaps in 2025. ”

In the 2025 season, Mendoza has shown his true potential. He threw for 3,535 yards and 41 touchdowns and won several notable awards and accolades in Indiana.

The Raiders are building a good coaching staff for their projected first-round draft choice at quarterback, including new head coach Klint Kubiak, offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko, and now Sullivan.