Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis is in no hurry to hand the offense to rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza, despite mounting curiosity about when the No. 1 overall draft pick will take over as the starter.
"From me, there's absolutely no pressure whatsoever," Davis told CNBC Sport's Michael Ozanian in an interview on Monday. "I'm really happy with the way it is with Fernando right now."
Davis described Mendoza as a hard worker and a "sponge," noting that the rookie has been spending time with Tom Brady, the retired superstar quarterback who holds a minority ownership stake in the franchise. Davis also said Mendoza is well positioned to develop while playing behind veteran Kirk Cousins.
"That's why I think we are so fortunate to get Kirk Cousins as somebody that could bridge the gap and let this young man learn a lot about what football is in the pros, the speed of the game, the things that have to be done," Davis said. "And again, he's picking it up great."
Questions about Mendoza's timeline had grown louder during a four-game losing skid, but the Raiders snapped that streak on Sunday with a 38-33 victory over the New York Jets, evening their record at 4-4. Even through the team's rough patch, Cousins has produced, ranking second in the league in passing touchdowns this season.
Davis pointed to an earlier era of football to explain his patience, recalling that in the 1960s quarterbacks sometimes spent several seasons on the bench before taking over a team. He said he feels lucky the organization is in a spot where it does not need to hurry its young passer.
"Today, there's a lot of pressure put on teams when they draft a guy number one that, you know, you've got to play him right away," Davis said. "I've seen quarterbacks get fast-tracked onto the field, and they may do well, but they don't learn all the intricacies of footwork and everything else that it takes. So they're limited in their development maybe throughout their career."
Mendoza, who guided the Indiana Hoosiers to a 2026 National Championship, has appeared in just one regular-season game so far, completing six of eight pass attempts. The 23-year-old Heisman Trophy winner has embraced a team-first attitude, saying his only priority is for the Raiders to win.
Ahead of the NFL draft in April, Mendoza told CNBC he was eager to learn from Brady, his childhood idol. "To have that football intelligence and the way that he sees a game, not only from a physical but also from a mental and emotional standpoint. I'm excited to dive in, take everything I can to learn from him," Mendoza said.
