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One of the first big decisions for some seniors after the NFL Draft is what jersey number they wish to wear to begin their careers.
Sometimes, those numbers work against rookies, whether players already own the digits they desire or a retired number gets in the way.
Las Vegas Raiders first overall pick Fernando Mendoza had a minor hiccup with his No. 15 pick going into the draft. But the franchise’s number one man gave his blessing to the quarterback of the future.
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Quarterback Fernando Mendoza, selected No. 1 overall in the 2026 NFL draft by the Las Vegas Raiders, stands with Raiders general manager John Spytek and head coach Klint Kubiak at a news conference in Henderson, Nev., on April 24, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
“He deserves my blessing,” former Raiders linebacker and coach Tom Flores said of Mendoza, who will wear No. 15 next season, according to the team’s official website. “Because if he’s not real, I don’t know what I’m doing.”
The Raiders have not officially retired Flores’ number, but they wanted to make sure Mendoza wanted to wear the number Mendoza was assigned to the Hoosiers.
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“He’s perfect,” Flores said of the Heisman Trophy winner. “He can throw everything. He can make plays. What can he do? He does everything. It’s fun to watch.”
Flores rocked No. 15 for the Raiders from 1960-66, throwing for more than 11,000 yards and 92 touchdowns during that span. He also starred for the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs during his playing days.
Tom Flores, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2021, stands during the induction ceremony at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, on Aug. 8, 2021. (Ron Schwane-Pool/Getty Images)
After retiring, Flores went into coaching with his old Raiders team and eventually led them to a Super Bowl victory in 1981. Then in 2021, Flores was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Mendoza was asked about Flores’ blessing to wear number 15.
“It’s about the Raider deal, always the Raider. How involved the alumni are. And I’m blessed to be a part of this organization,” Mendoza said.
“I can’t thank you [Flores] enough. I am blessed.”
Quarterback Fernando Mendoza, selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft by the Las Vegas Raiders, attends a news conference at the Raiders Headquarters in Henderson, Nev., on April 24, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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Mendoza enters his NFL career with high expectations, not just being the No. 1 pick, but playing for a proud franchise hoping to return to its Super Bowl-winning ways.
Mendoza will join the rest of the Raiders rookie class for Friday’s minicamp.
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