Las Vegas Raiders QB Fernando Mendoza addressed a narrative surrounding him that couldn’t be further from the truth
The Las Vegas Raiders love the mentality of their new franchise quarterback, Fernando Mendoza.
Las Vegas Raiders rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza finally responded to a narrative that has followed him through the pre-draft process and into his NFL career.
In a recently posted video by the Raiders, Mendoza acknowledged that some people think he sounds like ChatGPT when he speaks to the media. He doesn’t agree, and he doesn’t really care either.
“The media painted a picture about me that was a little, maybe a little different than my true personality, especially for the Ohio State game,” Mendoza said. “After I said, you know, flipping, rather than f****** and, at that point, it was like, okay, he doesn’t curse, he’s a goodie two-shoes, and I don’t know, like, my whole thing is, like, yeah, I communicate with your teammates, communicate with coaches.
“So, let me get really good at speaking. I’ve always taken speech classes, I’ve always looked on YouTube videos, how to communicate, you know, how to be a better leader, a huge reader as well. So, with that, it’s developed senses where people like all this guy’s Chad GPT, but I’ve been able to connect my teammates really well and not in a Chat GPT scenario.”
Mendoza talks the way he talks because he is deliberate with his words. He wants to make sure every sentence comes out exactly as he intends. We all know how media works these days. People can twist your words however they want and get away with it.
So Mendoza takes the cautious route, which almost always means hyping up his teammates and glorifying God, as he should. That combination of precision and positivity apparently gives off an AI feel to some, but it’s just how he’s wired.
The Raiders love what Mendoza brings to the table
In the video from Mendoza’s pre-draft interview, it was clear he already knew how people felt about him. He addressed it, moved on, and made it obvious he’s going to keep being himself. Las Vegas doesn’t care how polished he sounds on a microphone. The Raiders care that he knows how to win, that he’s extremely smart, and that he outworks everybody around him.
That work ethic draws a natural comparison to Tom Brady, the Raiders’ minority owner and the greatest quarterback of all time. The comparison isn’t about playing style, though there are similarities. It’s not about one having a killer mentality and the other lacking one. Both of them will outwork you, plain and simple. They don’t sound anything alike. They don’t even talk in a remotely similar way. But both of them love football, and both will make sure they are as prepared as anyone else on the field when it’s time to play.
Mendoza may not sound like AI, but he could have all the answers
The whole ChatGPT conversation is funny, but it speaks to something real about Mendoza’s personality. He is calculated, thoughtful, and careful with every word. Some people read that as robotic. The Raiders read it as maturity. For a rookie quarterback stepping into a franchise that has been searching for its guy at the position for years, those traits are exactly what you want.
Mendoza may not sound like ChatGPT, but there’s a real chance he has all the answers every time he steps onto the field. And for Las Vegas, that’s the only thing that matters.