Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza said he was “really upset” about having to miss practice for the NFLPA Rookie Premiere, even as he tried to make the most of the mandatory event window for invited rookies under the NFL-NFLPA CBA.
Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza admits the timing stung. He skipped Indiana’s visit to the White House so he could focus on his current work, but he didn’t skip last weekend’s NFLPA Rookie Premiere—and he made it clear he wasn’t thrilled about the trade-off.
“I’m going to be completely honest with you. ” Mendoza told Gilbert Manzano of SI.com (via Chris Franklin of NJ.com). “I’d rather be practicing right now and I was really upset about actually having to miss practice for this. Although it’s great. . . . It’s still been a great moment to where it was mandatory I be here. I’m not going to feel sorry for myself and feel wishy-washy.”.
What came next sounded less like resentment and more like resolve. Mendoza leaned into the fact that the event was something he had to do, not something he could ignore.
“I’m going to have a smile on my face and make the most of that present moment,” he said. “Live and learn all the [NFLPA] benefits. make all the connections with different mentors here. let me make sure I can maximize my time to be able to create a positive impact and learn about my situation and surroundings. So those are all things that I really benefited from being here.”.
The schedule matters here. Mendoza apparently didn’t miss any of the team’s formal OTA sessions for the NFLPA event, which ran from Friday, May 14 through Sunday, May 17. The first OTA session happened on Monday, May 18.
The Rookie Premiere itself sits in a grey area that’s easy to misunderstand from the outside. It isn’t technically mandatory for the players. but the teams are required under the CBA to allow invited rookies to attend. Article 21. Section 7 spells out the conditions: invited rookies will be permitted by their respective clubs to attend the NFL Players Rookie Premiere provided the event is scheduled in May; it runs for a maximum of four consecutive days including both a Saturday and a Sunday; and the NFLPA provides the NFL with the dates for the next Rookie Premiere no later than February 1 of each year.
For Raiders fans, the takeaway isn’t just that Mendoza showed up. It’s that he showed up the way a player does when he believes practice is the work—but he still honors the obligations that come with being a rookie.
There’s no guarantee this will turn Mendoza into the Raiders’ year-to-year franchise quarterback they need, but his message is unmistakable: he’s committed to doing everything in his power to get there.
Raiders Fernando Mendoza NFLPA Rookie Premiere rookie quarterback OTA sessions NFL CBA Article 21 Section 7 White House visit Indianapolis
So he’s mad he had to go to some player thing instead of practice… welcome to the NFL, dude.
Wait I thought the Rookie Premiere was like the same thing as the White House thing? Like why skip one and not the other? Either way he should’ve practiced more.
This sounds like he’s basically saying “I’m upset but I’ll pretend it’s fine.” Teams always act like contracts make them do whatever. Also OTA sessions are already practice right? So how much could he really have missed besides vibes.
I don’t even get why the teams have to let rookies attend if it’s not technically mandatory… seems made up. Like if it’s “required under the CBA” then it kinda is mandatory? The wording in these articles be confusing. Raiders always doing the most, then fans act like it doesn’t matter. Hopefully he turns into the franchise QB anyway bc practice or not, injuries and all that.