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Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza claimed his caller squad has nan "most Hispanic instrumentality base" aft going No. 1 wide successful nan NFL Draft. Mendoza made nan connection during his introductory property convention for nan squad connected Friday.
"The history of nan Raiders, particularly nan Hispanic history, is for illustration nary other. I judge it's astir apt nan astir Hispanic instrumentality guidelines and legends for illustration Mr. [Jim] Plunkett, for illustration Mr. [Tom] Flores. I mean, each those legendary Hispanic idols and cornerstones of nan franchise. It intends a batch arsenic a Cuban American to travel to this franchise and thief effort to transportation nan torch. But again, I've sewage to beryllium it, and I'm really looking guardant to connecting pinch nan Hispanic organization here," Mendoza said.
Mendoza himself is Cuban, arsenic nan descendant of Cuban refugees.
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Indiana backmost Fernando Mendoza passes against Miami during nan first half of nan College Football Playoff nationalist title crippled successful Miami Gardens, Fla., connected Jan. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
After Fidel Castro seized power of Cuba and installed a communist regime, each 4 of Mendoza's grandparents fled nan state and came to America.
"We each thought it was temporary," Mendoza's maternal grandfather, Alberto Espino, antecedently told The Washington Post. "There was nary measurement nan United States would let a communist authorities 90 miles away."
But Castro's reign endured, truthful Espino and nan Mendozas remained successful nan U.S. and built their lives arsenic Americans.
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Indiana Hoosiers backmost Fernando Mendoza looks connected during warmups earlier nan College Football Playoff National Championship crippled against nan Miami Hurricanes astatine Hard Rock Stadium successful Miami Gardens, Florida, connected Jan. 19, 2026. (Sam Navarro/Imagn Images)
Mendoza is coming into nan NFL aft 1 of nan champion seasons by a backmost successful assemblage shot history for Indiana.
Now, arsenic nan backmost of nan Raiders, he will beryllium nether unit to transportation 1 of nan league's historic franchises backmost to prominence aft decades of underachieving.
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Quarterback Fernando Mendoza, selected arsenic nan No. 1 wide prime successful nan 2026 NFL draught by nan Las Vegas Raiders, speaks during a news convention astatine nan Raiders Headquarters successful Henderson, Nev., connected April 24, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
"It's a immense responsibility, but it's besides a immense grant to grant nan legacy. The Raiders are a halfway historical franchise and 1 of nan faces of nan NFL, and I consciousness like, again, I request to beryllium it and gain it each azygous day," Mendoza said.
"Especially arsenic a rookie, nothing's given, and my belief successful that everything is earned. So, I'm going to travel successful humble, effort to found myself pinch my activity ethic and lead by example, but astatine nan extremity of nan day, it's each awesome saying these words, but I've sewage to do it."
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Jackson Thompson is simply a sports newsman for Fox News Digital covering captious governmental and taste issues successful sports, pinch an investigative lens. Jackson's reporting has been cited successful national authorities actions related to nan enforcement of Title IX, and successful bequest media outlets including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Associated Press and ESPN.com.
