Fernando Mendoza’s Raiders Debut

Before Fernando Mendoza took to the field for his Raiders debut on Thursday night against the Arizona Cardinals at Allegiant Stadium, his younger brother, Max, had an amiable moment with Raiders minority owner Tom Brady.

During the pregame festivities, Max was seen strolling along the Raiders’ sideline. It was clear that Brady was thrilled to see him.

Brady wasted no time in greeting Max with a handshake and a hug, even complimenting his Raiders jacket. “I like that jacket. I have a similar one,” he said, adding that he felt a bit envious because Max’s jacket had a unique flair.

“How can I get something like that?” Brady inquired.

Max continued chatting with the seven-time Super Bowl champion until it was time for the game to begin.

As the game progressed, Max was still in the spotlight. He got interviewed by Jason Horowitz, along with former Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon and linebacker Kirk Morrison during the broadcast.

He sported not only the Raiders jacket but also his brother’s No. 15 jersey. Max’s jacket stood out even in the broadcast booth, with Gannon joking around, saying, “I’m interested in this jacket. I don’t think he’s going to get out of here with this.”

Meanwhile, Fernando was busy on the field. He entered the game in the late first quarter after starting quarterback Kirk Cousins kicked things off with a touchdown pass to tight end Michael Mayer.

The rookie quarterback managed to complete 10 of 16 passes for 97 yards and one touchdown. In the second quarter, wide receiver Jack Beck made a 6-yard catch, prompting cheers from Allegiant Stadium.

Mendoza played through a couple more series before returning early in the fourth quarter, but unfortunately, Las Vegas lost the game 27-14.

Still, for the Mendoza brothers, the score seemed to matter less than the moment itself.