Key keywords: Las Vegas Raiders, Fernando Mendoza, No.15 jersey, first overall pick, 2024 NFL Draft, Raiders franchise legend, jersey number blessing, NFL rookie jersey sales The Las Vegas Raiders’ 2024 NFL Draft first overall pick, star quarterback Fernando Mendoza, has received formal, public approval from the franchise’s most iconic No.15 wearer to take over the legendary jersey number, with the Hall of Fame legend calling the 21-year-old “perfect” for the honor in an official statement released Wednesday. For nearly three decades, the No.15 jersey has been informally retired by the Raiders organization, reserved only for players who could honor the legacy of the legendary quarterback who led the franchise to two Super Bowl titles in the 1970s and 1980s, earned three Pro Bowl nods and a place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006. Multiple Raiders players have requested permission to wear the number over the years, but all were turned down by the former star, who has held final say over the use of his old number per a 1996 agreement with the team ownership. Mendoza, who grew up in Oakland as a lifelong Raiders fan, told reporters during his post-draft press conference last month that wearing No.15 was his “biggest non-football goal” after joining the franchise, noting that he had posters of the legendary No.15 hanging in his bedroom throughout his high school and college career at Stanford, where he set Pac-12 records for passing yards and touchdown passes across three seasons. After hearing Mendoza’s public comments, Raiders front office staff coordinated a private 45-minute video call between the rookie quarterback and the retired legend last week, where the pair discussed Mendoza’s offensive skill set, his leadership style, and his long-term goals for the Raiders organization. “I asked him what he wanted to accomplish in his first three years in the league, and he didn’t say anything about personal awards like Pro Bowls or MVP honors — he said he wanted to bring the Lombardi Trophy back to the Raiders fanbase that has waited almost 40 years for it,” the legend shared in his statement. “That’s exactly the kind of gritty, team-first player we want representing this number and this franchise. He’s perfect for it. I couldn’t be happier to pass the torch to him.” Mendoza reacted to the blessing on his personal Instagram account Wednesday, posting a photo of himself as a 10-year-old wearing a replica No.15 Raiders jersey alongside a screenshot of his video call with the legend, with the caption “Dreams really do come true. I won’t let you, or the entire Raider Nation, down.” The Raiders have already launched pre-orders for Mendoza’s No.15 home and away jerseys, with team officials reporting that first-day sales have already exceeded the all-time record for NFL rookie jersey pre-orders, previously set by 2023 first overall pick Bryce Young. Head coach Antonio Pierce noted that the number approval has already boosted morale across the team’s offseason training program, with players already expressing excitement to line up alongside Mendoza in the iconic number when the team’s preseason kicks off in August.