Tom Brady’s Mentorship Message to Heisman Winner Mendoza

Tom Brady has made it clear that he won’t go easy on Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza, even if the Raiders pick him first in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft. The draft kicks off this Thursday night in Pittsburgh.

During an appearance on “The Dan Patrick Show,” Mendoza, a former quarterback from Indiana, recounted his positive meeting with Brady, who is also a co-owner of the Raiders. They discussed what a potential future in Las Vegas could look like.

“I met him during an official visit to the Raiders,” Mendoza shared. “He sent a strong message: he plans to challenge me, not be all soft. If the Raiders draft me, he wants to be a mentor, focusing on whoever is at quarterback for the team—whether that’s me or someone else.”

Should the Raiders indeed select Mendoza, they will have veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins to help guide him. Las Vegas recently signed Cousins, who is now 37 and entering his 15th season in the NFL.

Mendoza expressed his enthusiasm about the opportunity, saying, “If I’m fortunate enough to join the Raiders, I believe it’ll be an amazing chance to learn from a player who’s found success over the years and has a similar style to mine.” He admitted to studying Cousins by watching game film from his time with the Vikings.

Cousins has a strong connection with new Raiders head coach Clint Kubiak, as they spent three seasons together in Minnesota, where Kubiak was the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator.

Interestingly, despite all the excitement surrounding him as a potential first pick, Mendoza has opted not to attend the draft in Pittsburgh. He plans to experience the event with his family in Miami instead.

The first round of the NFL Draft starts this Thursday, followed by the second and third rounds on Friday, with the remaining rounds on Saturday. Notably, the Jets have the No. 2 pick.