Mendoza throws 80-yard pick-six on opening drive

It came on his second pass of the evening.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Aug 211 min read

Fernando Mendoza’s second pass attempt of the evening goes 80 yards in the wrong direction https://t.co/iltDsrN3lo Via @ArmandoSalguero on X

What happened: Fernando Mendoza, the No. 1 overall pick, was late over the middle on the fourth play of his opening possession.

Why it matters: Preseason results do not count in the standings. The larger consequence falls on Mendoza's development and evaluation before the 2026 regular season.

By the numbers: In his preseason debut, Mendoza completed 10 of 16 passes for 97 yards and one touchdown.

What to watch: His remaining preseason reps will test how quickly his timing and decision-making recover from the turnover.

Sources

@ArmandoSalguero 2026-08-21T02:52:15.636916+00:00

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