Raiders' Fernando Menoza Reveals a Michael Penix Jr. Moment He Never Forgot

Before Michael Penix Jr. ever became the Atlanta Falcons’ quarterback, he made an impression on a little-known freshman quarterback at Cal, simply by remembering his name.

Fernando Mendoza – now a Heisman Trophy winner, national champion, and the first-overall pick by the Las Vegas Raiders – had a lot of nice things to say about the Falcons’ incumbent starter going back to their shared time in the Pac-12.

The year was 2022, and Fernando Mendoza was the then third-string quarterback for the California Golden Bears. It was his first season as a collegiate athlete, and he was destined for a redshirt season. Michael Penix Jr., meanwhile, had just transferred from the Indiana Hoosiers – ironically, where Mendoza would soon cement his legendary status – to the Washington Huskies that spring.

Penix had already played four collegiate seasons (even though he was named second-team All-Big Ten in 2020 after leading the conference in passing yards per game, with 274.2), but injuries had derailed his Indiana tenure. Despite those injury-shortened seasons, he had already become a recognizable name in the college football world.

As a Huskie, the quarterback saw his career hit the accelerator. Penix won the Maxwell Award in 2023 and was a Heisman finalist (also finished eighth in 2022). As a team, Washington went 25-3 with Penix as the starter, winning the Pac-12 title and making a run to the national championship in 2023.

Despite all his success, he never seemed to let it go to his head. Mendoza confirmed that sentiment on The Leap podcast series.

Fernando Mendoza talks about meeting #Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr.

🎥 @G2mediaco (TikTok) pic.twitter.com/foJ17wkhNH
— Miles Garrett (@MilesGarrettTV) May 12, 2026

“My freshman year, I obviously knew who he was,” Mendoza said. “So after he torched us in the first game, I went up to him afterward, and I was like, ‘Hey, what’s up? My name is Fernando from Miami! Just letting you know that you’re an inspiration to Florida quarterbacks.’”

For the record, Penix, who is a native of Tampa, Florida, did have a strong game against the Golden Bears. He finished 36-of-51 (70.6%) for 374 yards and two touchdowns in a 28-21 win over Cal in 2022. But he was even better the next season, finishing 19-of-25 (76%) for 304 yards, four touchdowns, and an interception in a 59-32 win over Cal in 2023.

Mendonza, again, went up to Penix after the game.

“The next year, I go up to him, and he [Penix] goes, ‘Oh, what up? You’re the kid from Miami, right?’” Mendoza said about his post-game interaction with Penix. “I go, ‘That’s insane!’ This guy’s a high-string caliber player, and I’m a third-string quarterback at Cal. This guy remembered who I was and just remembered I was a quarterback from Miami. That was really cool.

“And seeing that game, seeing the level of mastery that he had on the field, I’m just really rooting for this guy, whether he knows it or not.”

Mendoza went on to take the starting job at Cal in 2023, before breaking out with them in 2024. He then transferred to Indiana, and the rest is history. But the Florida quarterback never forgot his roots and will always be a fan of the guy taking snaps in Atlanta.

As Penix prepares to compete with Tua Tagovailoa to become the Falcons’ starter, stories like Mendoza’s illustrate why coaches and teammates consistently describe him as a quarterback players gravitate toward.

Sign up for our free Atlanta Falcons newsletter and follow us on Facebook and X for the latest news!

Add us as a preferred source on Google