Michael Mendoza facts for kids
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| Position: | Quarterback | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 200 lb (91 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Torrance (CA) Bishop Montgomery | ||||||||
| College: | Northern Arizona | ||||||||
| Undrafted: | 1985 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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| Career Arena statistics | |||||||||
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| Player stats at ArenaFan.com | |||||||||
Michael Mendoza is a former American football quarterback. He played for the Los Angeles Cobras in the Arena Football League for one season. Before that, he played college football at Los Angeles Harbor College and Northern Arizona University. He also spent time with the Los Angeles Raiders and Ottawa Rough Riders. Michael went to Bishop Montgomery High School in Torrance, California.
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Early Life and High School Football
Michael Mendoza played high school football at Bishop Montgomery High School. This school is located in Torrance, California. In 1981, he was named the best offensive player in his league, the Angelus League.
College Football Career
Michael started his college football journey at Los Angeles Harbor College. He played for the Los Angeles Harbor Seahawks for two seasons. During his time there, he helped the Seahawks win two Southern California Athletic Conference titles. They also earned a spot in two post-season bowl games.
In 1983, Michael transferred to Northern Arizona University. He joined the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks team. In his first year, he was named the Big Sky Conference's Newcomer of the Year. This award goes to a new player who performs very well.
During his two seasons as a starting quarterback at Northern Arizona, Michael had impressive stats. He completed 453 out of 769 passes. This added up to 4,882 passing yards and 29 touchdowns. While at Northern Arizona University, he was also a member of the Sigma Pi fraternity.
Professional Football Journey
Michael Mendoza had a chance to play professional football after college. He spent some time with the Los Angeles Raiders during their training camp in 1985. He chose this opportunity over an offer to play for the Denver Gold in another league called the USFL. However, he was released by the Raiders before he played in any preseason games.
In 1986, Michael was briefly a member of the Ottawa Rough Riders. This team played in the Canadian Football League. He was with the team for about a week before being released on May 20, 1986.
Playing for the Los Angeles Cobras
On June 9, 1988, Michael Mendoza signed with the Los Angeles Cobras. This team was part of the Arena Football League. For his first game on June 10, he was placed on the team's taxi squad. This means he was a reserve player who could be called upon if needed.
Michael was moved to the active roster on June 23, 1988. This meant he was ready to play in games. On July 14, 1988, he played in a game against the Chicago Bruisers. He came in to play when the starting quarterback, Matt Stevens, needed a break.
In that game, Michael passed for 269 yards and threw four touchdowns. The game ended in a 37–37 tie. Michael threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Joe Kelly with only 11 seconds left. This tied the game. The Cobras' kicker, Nick Mike-Mayer, then missed a field goal in overtime.
Michael Mendoza also appeared in a movie from 1989. The movie, called Kinjite: Forbidden Subjects, has a scene filmed during a live game between the Cobras and Bruisers. You can even hear his name mentioned by the game's announcer in the movie! Before joining the Cobras, Michael worked as a loan representative.
