Fernando Mendoza’s ‘private brunch’ with Tom Brady unlocks secret message for Raiders quarterback

The Las Vegas Raiders will hope that 2026 is the start of a new era in the Sin City.

At the NFL Draft, they fired the starting gun in this vision, selecting an emotional Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick.

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It was the league’s worst kept secret. Mendoza was the clear and obvious choice after his final collegiate season.

The 22-year-old threw for 3,535 yards with 41 touchdowns as Indiana went a perfect 16-0, beating Miami to claim National Championship glory.

Mendoza is expected to lead the franchise on and off the field for years to come.

That prospect could be daunting for most rookie quarterbacks. Thankfully, Mendoza has Raiders minority owner, and the greatest quarterback of all time, Tom Brady to offer advice.

Mendoza had lunch with Brady and rapper Travis Scott, where the trio talked about leadership, accountability and business, according to Sports Illustrated.

Mendoza revealed some advice he received from Brady on what it means to be a good leader in the NFL.

“The one biggest thing that I thought was awesome was when Tom talked about leadership and the two variables that you need to be a great leader,” Mendoza said.

“One, care about your teammates, and second, care about the team’s goals. It’s not about being a Pro Bowler, being a star player.

“It’s about caring about your teammates, who they are and caring about winning, and the team’s ultimate goal, which is to win a championship.”

Those are two variables that were present throughout Brady’s legendary career.

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During his time with the New England Patriots, Brady took less money in order for the team to make other additions to strengthen the roster.

Things weren’t always rosy with the eight-time Super Bowl championship, but that’s the reality when competing in high-intense environments.

Mendoza turning heads at Raiders OTA’s

Las Vegas have made it abundantly clear that just because they selected Mendoza first overall, it doesn’t mean he will be starting Week 1.

General manager John Spytek and new head coach Klint Kubiak said they were not comfortable throwing a rookie straight into the fire.

The Raiders signed Kirk Cousins to serve as a bridge/mentor for Mendoza, with the pair starring in a ‘Stepbrothers’ inspired schedule release.

Mendoza will undoubtedly get the chance to start under center in 2026, particularly with how he is impressing his new head coach.

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“[He has] not disappointed,” Kubiak said via ESPN, after Wednesday’s OTA practice.

“He’s working his tail off. It’s very important to him that he asks a lot of great questions when he gets on the field. He’s no B.S.; he’s all ball.

“Anything that you put in front of him, he’s going to attack it.

“Anything new, he spends extra time on. You can tell he fixes things from one day to the next.”

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