Why Raiders' Fernando Mendoza says he avoids one part of Las Vegas

Why Raiders' Fernando Mendoza says he avoids one part of Las Vegas originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Fernando Mendoza is jumping from college football to the pros, and he's getting acquainted with his new digs in Las Vegas.

The Las Vegas Raiders quarterback isn't a fan of every part of Vegas, though. Well, perhaps it's more fair to say that he's trying to stay away from certain areas of the city that he's been warned to avoid.

In an interview with Michael Silver of The Athletic, Mendoza said that, yes, he's visited the Las Vegas Strip. But, he's not making a habit of it. The young quarterback says that he's mostly staying away from the area during his time with the Raiders.

Of course, the Las Vegas Strip is legendary. Famed songs such as Elvis Presley's "Viva Las Vegas" and Frank Sinatra's "Luck Be a Lady" were inspired by the Strip, and the Strip still makes it way into pop culture and music today. But, Mendoza is staying away from it.

"I've been there once or twice, but I haven't really experienced the Strip," Mendoza said of the area. "It's like a boogeyman. A lot of people talk about the Strip like, 'You don't want to go there.'"

He added, "It's like when you're a kid; you're trick-or-treating, and there's the haunted house. You're not trying to go over there."

That's a pretty cute way to describe the Vegas Strip, and it's totally on brand, too. Mendoza has quite a pure and almost innocent image, so it makes sense that the Vegas Strip wouldn't be a place that would scream, "Mendoza's favorite spot."

• Shedeur Sanders gets positive feedback as Browns QB competition heats up
• Jerry Jones just got another reason to hope for a stellar Cowboys season
• Shedeur Sanders trade idea sends him to a Super Bowl contender