There was only one thought going through Las Vegas Raiders rookie running back Mike Washington Jr.’s head as he bounced the ball out to the left and saw green Allegiant Stadium grass in front of him during the second quarter of his preseason debut on Thursday night.
“Score,” he remembers thinking.
While he came up short of the goal line, Washington will always have the memory of a 53-yard run in his first NFL game that set up Fernando Mendoza’s first preseason touchdown pass.
“He ended up catching up to me, but I was just thinking about scoring,” Washington said. “But really, I’ve just been grateful because soaking in this moment, not everybody can say that they’ve put on cleats, put on an NFL jersey, NFL helmet, and ran into an NFL stadium and played. I’m able to say that, and I’m able to say that I did it with my brothers out there.”
He also left quite an impression with his game-high 63 yards on six carries.
NFL analyst Brian Baldinger gave him the full “Baldy’s Breakdown” treatment with social media videos of not only Washington’s big run, but also of the little things he was able to do in the passing game from protection to making himself available as an outlet.
Not bad for a guy who had not so much as attended an NFL game before Thursday night.
That’s part of why Washington felt it was so valuable just to get on the field and see game action.
“Leading up to the game, I wasn’t nervous,” he said. “But once I touched the field, I was super nervous. Then, I got my first touch, I got hit. I guess I had my, ‘Welcome to the NFL moment’ on that flat route, and got hit again. But yeah, the nerves kind of went away after that.”
He played like a seasoned vet, providing optimism he will be able to give the Raiders a viable option in the run game when starter Ashton Jeanty needs a break.
“I was pleased with what Mike did,” coach Klint Kubiak said. “Mike did some good things just like he has practiced. I think he was the same player that we’ve seen in practice. Had a big run, just got to keep giving him more outs as preseason goes.”
The Raiders drafted Washington in the fourth round out of Arkansas to serve as a complement to Jeanty, though he profiles as someone who could handle an even bigger workload should the opportunity arise for any reason.
Washington has great size at 6-foot-1, 223 pounds, and he exploded out of the gates with a 4.33-second in the 40 at the combine.
He has really impressed the Raiders with his work off the field, however, as he prepares himself to play at the NFL level.
After his impressive debut, Washington said one of the best parts of the game was that he would have some game film off which to study his game and find areas to improve.
It’s a similar trait to his fellow rookie Mendoza.
They have been working together at getting ready for the NFL experience and Washington thought Mendoza handled the moment well on Thursday, as well.
“He had great pocket awareness, great poise in the game,” Washington said. “In the moment, being able convert, do all those things, I feel like he played a great game.”
He also gave some pretty good advice.
Washington said Mendoza told teammates before the game to enjoy the moment.
“It was electrifying,” Washington said of being able to play in an NFL game. “It’s kind of like how Fernando said, it’s like your first day going back to school, playing your first game. I know it’s a preseason game, but it’s my first game. Being able to break a long run like that my first game was dope.”
It’s probably far from the last.
Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.
