Raiders' Mendoza and Steelers' Allar Headline NFL Preseason Week 1
The Raiders' No. 1 draft pick threw a touchdown in a loss to the Cardinals while the Steelers' rookie quarterback accounted for three scores in a rout of the Packers.
The first weekend of the 2026 NFL preseason arrived Thursday, and two closely watched rookie quarterbacks delivered the moments fans were waiting for. Fernando Mendoza, the No. 1 overall pick, threw his first professional touchdown pass for the Las Vegas Raiders, while Drew Allar accounted for three touchdowns in his debut for the Pittsburgh Steelers, according to ESPN.
Mendoza Throws TD in Raiders Debut, but Cardinals Win
Mendoza came in after veteran Kirk Cousins opened the game with a scoring drive, completing 5 of 6 passes for 50 yards and a 13-yard touchdown to tight end Michael Mayer, ESPN reported. Mendoza then finished 10 of 16 for 97 yards, connecting with rookie receiver Jack Bech on a six-yard touchdown pass, according to the Guardian. That made him the first No. 1 overall pick to throw a touchdown pass in his preseason debut since Cleveland's Baker Mayfield did it in 2018, the Guardian reported.
Mendoza struggled when the Cardinals brought pressure, going 2 of 6 for 11 yards and a 42.4 passer rating on those snaps, and he was sacked once, ESPN reported. The Raiders lost 27-14 as Arizona quarterbacks Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew combined to complete 15 straight passes for three touchdowns in the first half, according to the Guardian. Cardinals rookie running back Jeremiyah Love, the third overall pick, ran for 58 yards on 11 carries in his own debut.
Allar Powers Steelers Rout; Other Rookies Impress League-Wide
In Pittsburgh, Allar completed 10 of 13 passes for 154 yards, threw two touchdowns and ran for a third as the Steelers routed the Green Bay Packers 28-9 in new head coach Mike McCarthy's debut, according to Sky Sports. Allar hit rookie receiver Kaden Wetjen for touchdowns of 74 and five yards and scored himself on a three-yard keeper, ESPN reported. Backup Will Howard added 86 yards on 7-of-9 passing for Pittsburgh. Packers rookie kicker Trey Smack made field goals from 58, 38 and 37 yards despite a shaky training camp, according to ESPN.
Elsewhere around the league, Anthony Richardson returned from injury for the Indianapolis Colts and threw for 145 yards and a touchdown in a 13-13 tie with the New England Patriots, though he lost a fumble and threw an interception, Sky Sports reported. In Tennessee, No. 1 pick Cam Ward led the Titans past the San Francisco 49ers 19-13 despite finishing just 5 of 10 for 25 yards. The Los Angeles Chargers beat the Houston Texans 27-7 behind two touchdowns from running back Amar Johnson, and the Cincinnati Bengals edged the Detroit Lions 16-14 on a touchdown pass from Joe Flacco, according to Sky Sports.
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