Raiders' Fernando Mendoza shares Tom Brady's advice as he begins NFL career

Fernando Mendoza is gearing up for his first play successful nan NFL pinch nan Las Vegas Raiders.

The Raiders selected Mendoza pinch nan No. 1 wide prime of nan 2026 draught aft he led nan Indiana Hoosiers to an undefeated 2025 play and a nationalist championship. While Mendoza added nan Heisman Trophy to his database of unthinkable accomplishments past year, he still has a batch to study erstwhile it comes to being an NFL player.

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Las Vegas Raiders violative coordinator Andrew Janocko talks pinch quarterbacks Fernando Mendoza and Kirk Cousins during minicamp astatine Intermountain Health Performance Center successful Henderson, Nev., connected June 9, 2026. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)

Mendoza precocious shared immoderate of nan proposal that Raiders number proprietor Tom Brady has lent him successful nan first 2 months of being pinch Las Vegas.

"I deliberation what he said arsenic a backmost is you request to beryllium nan astir everything. You request to beryllium nan astir competitive. You request to beryllium nan astir leader. You person to person nan astir leadership," he said, via nan Raiders’ YouTube page.

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Raiders number proprietor Tom Brady yells encouragement to players during nan first half of a Raiders training campy mock crippled astatine Allegiant Stadium successful Las Vegas connected Aug. 2, 2025. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

"You request to beryllium nan toughest, some mentally and physically. And you've sewage to embody each these things and lead by illustration earlier gaining that equity and respect from your teammates successful bid to lead effectively."

Mendoza will besides person Kirk Cousins to thin connected successful definite situations, moreover arsenic nan seasoned backmost doesn’t spot his narration arsenic a mentor-mentee situation.

"I deliberation to opportunity I’m mentoring them is simply a spot of a reach, astir apt much of a communicative than it is nan truth," Cousins said past week, via The Athletic. "They’re beautiful bully players and beautiful experienced, and I’m learning a batch from them excessively and asking questions of them."

Quarterback Fernando Mendoza, selected arsenic nan No. 1 wide prime successful nan 2026 NFL draught by nan Las Vegas Raiders, attends a news convention astatine nan Raiders Headquarters successful Henderson, Nev., connected April 24, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

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It’s unclear whether Mendoza will beryllium nan Week 1 starter. Cousins has proved to person immoderate near successful nan vessel to play. He signed a two-year, $12.6 cardinal woody pinch nan Raiders successful nan offseason.