Just talk to us a little bit about Coach Kubiak, man, and the game plan and what he brings with all the different formations.

Yeah, you know, I've had a lot of coaches in my life in every sport, but Coach Kubiak by far is the best leader of men I've ever been around.

You know, the way he leads the guys, the amount of detail that he instills in his coaching staff from the bottom up, the amount of detail that we have going into a game plan.

is truly something like I've never seen before.

And, you know, it goes just into the love of the game that he has, the love he has for us, the Christlike man he is.

You know, and I'm not just speaking for myself.

I'm speaking for every player, every coach, the whole organization.

Where do you get that type of discipline, and what was your mentality after those practices, putting that work, when the temperatures were starting to get into the 110s in Vegas in the summer?

Terms and conditions apply.

[crowd cheering] Just knowing that they got us, they got countless amount of fans, but also an amount that don't know.

Um, so that, that moment, just for that first touchdown, definitely a huge win.

But more so just being out here with all these guys and the amount of work we put into, into building this group, um, the way Coach Pooh Banks has led us as men, uh, the amount of detail that we work on for hours upon hours each and every day.

Being able to come out here and get this win, that's what really meant the most to me for us, and so, uh, for my, the organization, that, that was a cool moment.

Can you talk about playing and the celebration after your, your first touch down?

Yeah, for sure.

You know, I couldn't help but call God and call my brother.

But entering the off-season, where was the one area in your mind that you felt like you had to get better?

Yeah, I think just the speed of the game, being able to see the different defenses, whenever-- seeing the rolling safeties.

You know, there's so much, um, that I can say to work on.

You know, it's, it-- This game is a game that challenges you each and every day.

You know, no matter if you're the best, um, or not, you know, no matter if you're, you know, the top guys in the league, you know, you gotta come in here each and every day, be consistent.

You gotta go to work each and every day.

Um, but you know, there's a million things, you know, just working on, you know, all the little fundamentals, um, seeing leverages of DBs and what defenses like to do with the film and, you know, just so many different things.

If you could describe Mendoza's, uh, uh, ability to come through camp into this now, just assess his development.

So how much does this culture that Clint Kubiak's trying to build, how much does that fit you and suit you?

100%.

I think it, they, it suits everybody on the team.

You know, we have the team we have this year, the guys we have because of that.

You know, they brought guys in who are about that we culture, not the me or the I. Um, you know, and I think, like I said, coach has done a great job, you know, just really setting the standard each and every day.

Start with the standard, telling us what that standard is.

Um, and then us players, you know, we got to go out and fulfill that role.

Yeah.

How important is it to be available and be that guy, as Kirk Cousins called you, the power forward?

Yeah, you know, I think you just got to play your role, you know, whatever the team needs from myself, my teammates, you know, whatever that role may be.

If that's catching 20 balls a game, if that's going insert blocking, you know, whatever that may be.

Playing a little special teams, like whatever that may be, whatever that role is, you know, to fulfill that role to the best of your ability.

And if each and every guy does that, which I know they will, because we have a super great team, connected team, great coaching staff.

Again, I think we're going to keep taking steps in the right direction.

In

Has there been anything that you learned about yourself in the short time in the league so far?

You've talked a lot about taking a big jump, especially coming into year two, especially with maybe some of the things that obviously you didn't get the win like you guys wanted to, but what were some things that happened during the game that you saw for yourself where you're like, "Okay, the hard work I put up in the off-season is paying off slowly"?

Yeah, again, I think it's just everybody, you know, out there just kind of putting everything together.

Um, you know, something I was saying, we were all kind of saying before the game was we put in so much work this whole off-season, and it really started at the end of January.

So now it's time to just go out there on the field, let it rip, just really have fun and just play loose and like I said, just let it, let it go and go balls to the wall.

Jeff, what did you see from Fernando out there today?

Yeah, just the, the amount of poise that he had to go out there, to be able to get through all his progressions, make amazing throws.

Um, you know, he's really starting to see the game and understand the game at a great level.

You know, he's in there working hard each and every day, watching a lot of film, uh, you know, putting in the physical work, but, you know, a lot of mental work as well.

This is Believe.

Hello, hello.

Hi, guys.

How's everything going? Two days with the pads on.

You're a visitor guy, what kind of- Yeah ... what did this do for you today? Yeah, finally can play some real football, you know, finally put the pads on.

Um, you know, a lot of the physicality of all the...

You know, that's one thing Coach stresses a lot, you know, offense, defense, to all the players.

What kind of growth do you feel like you've made from the leap you had from last year to this year so far?

Yeah, just, I think I should just start off with the coaching staff and all the guys that have come in.

Uh, you know, especially a guy like Kirk Cousins, you know, who brings so much knowledge, uh, into the offensive room.

You know, he comes in, and he's such a good mentor for all of us.

You know, just the knowledge he has of all the years he's played in the league.

You know, he's seen every look 100 times, so he's really able to coach us through different looks, different reads of what he sees, how he wants us to do the different things.

Um, you know, the players to the offensive coaches, you know, we're all on the same page with everything he's saying.

Just how do you feel that helps your room and, and you specifically in receiving?

do you feel like you've made from the leap you have from last year to this year so far?

Yeah, I think I should just start off with the coaching staff and all the guys that have come in, especially a guy like Kirk Cousins, who brings so much knowledge into the offensive room.

He comes in and he's such a good mentor for all of us.

you know, just the knowledge he has of all the years he's played in the league.

You know, he's seen every look a hundred times.

So he's really able to coach us through different looks, different reads of what he sees, how he wants us to do different things.

You know, the players to the offensive coaches, you know, we're all on the same page with everything he's saying.

Just how do you feel that helps your room and you specifically in the receiver?

What kind of growth do you feel like you've made from the leap you have from last year to this year so far?

Yeah, I think I should just start off with the coaching staff and all the guys that have come in, especially a guy like Kirk Cousins, who brings so much knowledge into the offensive room.

He comes in, and he's such a good mentor for all of us.

Just the knowledge he has of all the years he's played in the league, he's seen every look 100 times.

So he's really able to coach us through different looks, different reads of what he sees, how he wants us to do different things.

You know, the players to the offensive coaches, you know, we're all on the same page with everything he's saying.

He wants to see what Coach Kubiak and Coach Zinoco are talking about.

Just how do you feel that helps your room and you specifically in the receiver?

What does that mean to you?

It definitely means that I knew coming into this game, my brother was going to be on my shoulders, being the seventh day, coming up on the one-year anniversary of his passing.

So I definitely knew today was going to be special.

To be able to start on the seventh day, like you said, just knowing that I got the greatest Garden Angels ever on the board and my brother.

Getting those reps, how important is that for you to be able to get more reps, get more consistency on the field?

I think just coming every day to work, just putting your head down.

understanding the game, understanding how things work, you know, just showing the QBs, getting in there early with them for regular meetings, you know, building that trust with them, getting that down, getting a lot of good playing experience, you know, these next few games

What's that learning curve been like for you coming from college today?

Yeah, you know, there's definitely a learning curve just with the nuance of the game, but also being able to tell the disguises and the defenses.

Obviously all these guys are pros out here so they're all very good at disguising what they're doing.

Not showing you until the last minute what's going on.

If it's a shell coverage, one high man, whatever it may be.

And then just the nuance of the game, understanding where, depending on the coverages, how to find the DB's weaknesses.

So definitely a lot, but every day, every game, every practice, we go and talk to the QBs and some of the other vets, and that's something that we build upon.

How does that affect you and what you're trying to do in your learning curve?

What do you think has been the most difficult part about the transition from college to pros? What do you, on a daily basis?

Yeah, I think in college, you know, it's still more, you know, who can just go out there, you know, not physical, you know, the other guy, you know, just who is better physically.

You know, and I think there's a big switch when you get to the pros.

You know, I think it goes from, you know, 60, 70% physical, 30% mental in college.

And I think it like hits a whole, whole U-turn.

You know, I think it's more, you know, everybody here is physically good enough to be here, you know, but now it's like that whole mental side of the game.

It's like 90% physical, 90% mental and 10% physical at this level.

that being said, how much further along do you feel right now compared to where you were at training camp?

What's been the person in the locker room for Jacoby Myers?

Yeah, Jacoby has been great.

We've actually talked a lot this past weekend and even today about just, no, Coe's been a great mentor, being able to just come in each and every day.

What he said was true, he's in here, he's in the present moment, he's out here trying to get better each and every day.

He's helping the young guys.

He's helping me and Dante each and every day just understand the game more, understand the ins and outs of the league, and just being able to just really know how to get better each and every day and how to attack the game from a physical and mental standpoint.

So Jacoby has been awesome.

What are your impressions about how fast he is? Yeah,

for you and getting you more involved? Like, how are you feeling right now about just, you know, some of those plays, I know haven't really been called yet, maybe, but just kind of the involvement and your level of that with the offense?

Yeah, you know, it's going to be a lot of fun.

You know, I've been saying it, you know, God and my brother, you know, they got a perfect plan for me and, you know, what's going to happen.

You know, and I'm just completely bought into that.

You know, I'm just excited to be here and be able to help the team out in any way, shape, or form.

You know, help the team win offense, special teams, whatever it may be, blocking, catching the rock, you know, whatever it may be.

You know, I'm here to put the team first.

How does it feel going back on the road facing the Colts? I mean, they've got a pretty stout defense when you look at them.