Raiders’ Fernando Mendoza reveals Maxx Crosby message after ugly pick-six in Texans game

Fernando Mendoza’s second preseason game delivered a harsh NFL lesson, but the Las Vegas Raiders rookie walked away with something valuable: a vote of confidence from one of the league’s most respected leaders.

The No. 1 overall pick endured a rough first half against the Houston Texans on Thursday night. On just his second pass of the game, Mendoza threw an interception that Texans rookie linebacker Wade Woodaz returned 80 yards for a touchdown. Afterward, Mendoza detailed the sideline exchange with team captain Maxx Crosby that helped him reset.

“Maxx is a great team captain, a great team leader, and he’s always encouraging that resilience because adversity is gonna happen,” Mendoza told reporters after the game. “I don’t wanna put words in his mouth, but it was something along the lines of, ‘Hey, we got your back, let’s go, next play.’ So just to push the page, move forward, and to hear that from a team captain is very inspiring.”

.@Raiders QB Fernando Mendoza on the support he got from Maxx Crosby after throwing the puck-six pic.twitter.com/dtSZsIwqCf

— Vincent Bonsignore (@VinnyBonsignore) August 21, 2026

Crosby’s public comments echoed that support. “He’s been great,” he said of Mendoza in a sideline interview. “You come in as a rookie, and you’ve got to start all the way back at the bottom. He’s had the right attitude. He’s working his ass off. He’s in here every single day encouraging dudes and just working. That’s all you can ask for.”

To his credit, Mendoza didn’t sulk. He immediately sprinted downfield and dove in an attempt to tackle Woodaz before he reached the end zone, an unsuccessful effort, but a telling one for an exhibition game.

Mendoza finished 8-of-15 for 86 yards and the lone interception before giving way to Aidan O’Connell. The veteran keyed the comeback, capping a 96-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown run in the final seconds to lift Las Vegas to a 22-20 win, as the Raiders outscored Houston 19-0 after halftime.

Just days earlier, Mendoza had drawn first-team reps over veteran Kirk Cousins, with Ian Rapoport reporting the staff is deliberately elevating his game. For a franchise betting its future on Mendoza, the takeaway wasn’t the pick-six, it was how the 22-year-old, and his veteran captain, responded to it.

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