Fernando Mendoza entered the NFL with a well-mannered and polished image, especially when he speaks publicly or addresses the media. That assumption has led many to believe that the Las Vegas Raiders quarterback never curses, never behaves poorly, and whose personality resembles that of ChatGPT. The 22-year-old recently revealed that the perception stems from the effort he has put into developing his communication skills.

“The media painted a picture of me that was a little different from my true personality, especially after the Ohio State game when I said ‘flipping’ instead of ‘f—ing’ at that point, and I was like, ‘OK, he doesn’t curse. He’s a goody two-shoes.’ And I don’t know, like my whole thing is you got to communicate with teammates, communicate with coaches, so let me get really good at speaking,” Mendoza said when John Spytek asked about the difference between the way the media projected him and the actual person he is.

“I’ve always taken speech classes. I’ve always looked at YouTube videos how to communicate, how to be a better leader. I’m a huge reader as well. So, with that, it’s developed senses where people like, ‘Oh, this guy’s ChatGPT.’ But whenever you ask any of my team, I’m sure I don’t want to speak for them, but I’ve been able to connect with my teammates really well, and not like a ChatGPT scenario.”

Mendoza was referring to the time when he led the Hoosiers to the Big Ten championship against Ohio State in December 2025, when he went 15-of-23 for 222 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Right after that went down, Mendoza got emotional and said, “Whoever thought the Hoosiers would be here, but now the Hoosiers are flipping champs. Let’s go!” Considering he said “flipping,” instead of dropping the f-bomb, many pointed out that Mendoza is overly clean and innocent.

And it won’t be unfair to say that the Raiders’ QBs’ overall personality aligns with that narrative. Mendoza only has two social media apps on his phone: LinkedIn and YouTube. The reasoning is simple: Staying away from social media helps him focus on the opinions inside the building rather than the outside noise, which he describes as, “I’m not online reading, ‘Oh, Fernando’s great. Fernando sucks.'”

At the same time, however, his continuous LinkedIn updates have led people to label him a ChatGPT guy. For instance, when Mendoza led the Hoosiers to the national championship earlier this year, he updated his LinkedIn to the “Open to Work” feature while also reportedly changing his bio.

“As a quarterback for Indiana Football, I apply a strong foundation in leadership, time management, and communication to excel both on and off the field,” his bio read. “I’m passionate about leveraging my background in business, real estate, and finance to build a career that combines strategic thinking, teamwork, and community impact. I take pride in fostering positive team culture, adapting to new environments, and driving success through preparation, accountability, and collaboration.”

But while Mendoza has embraced his nice-guy image, the Raiders quarterback has also revealed that he can get angry with his teammates on the field at times, something the media often overlooks because of his personality away from football.

“Although I’ve come off as very humble and pretty fuzzy and warm, at the end of my Indiana career, when you have that equity you’re able to be like No. 4 [Favre] and No. 12 [Rodgers],” he said a couple of months ago. “If you ask my teammates, that’s stuff that I was. I wasn’t always the nice guy, I was an A-hole sometimes, I wanted everyone to do their 1/11th, everyone to do their job, hold everyone to a high standard.”

So, that’s where things currently stand with Fernando Mendoza. Away from the field, he maintains his polished image. But when it comes to competing and outperforming opponents, Mendoza isn’t afraid to show a different side of himself, knowing that effective communication with his teammates and coaches is essential during games. Now, as he heads into his rookie NFL season, how that journey unfolds remains to be seen.