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Raiders' Fernando Mendoza unveils true feelings on getting invaluable Tom Brady mentorship

Nairavoice · Jul 28, 2026 · 3 min read

Raiders’ Fernando Mendoza unveils true feelings on getting invaluable Tom Brady mentorship originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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Tom Brady has skin in the game when it comes to the Super Bowl race once again. He used to root for the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers but that was only because his legacy in those areas preceded him. This time around, he is confidently rooting for and actively trying to help the Las Vegas Raiders win the Super Bowl. The first step? Mentoring the former Indiana Hoosiers star and 2026 NFL first overall pick, Fernando Mendoza.

Raiders’ Mendoza gets real on getting NFL legend Brady as mentor

A lot of pressure is on the shoulders of Fernando Mendoza. After a five-year drought, he became the first player to win the Heisman Trophy while also nabbing the College Football Playoff National Championship. Mendoza also led the greatest program turnaround during his stay with the Indiana Hoosiers. Now, he also has Tom Brady giving him advice as he navigates the NFL as the Raiders’ new quarterback.

Obviously, all of this can be a lot for the Raiders’ rookie quarterback. But, the mentorship with Brady seems to be helping Mendoza a lot. He even discussed his feelings when it came to his newfound relationship, via Grant Gordon of NFL.com.

“It’s surreal. However, you know, he’s been such a great resource and he’s been, from a young age, he’s been a big idol of mine and then now it’s, OK, Tom is a human being. Yes, he’s an exceptional human being, but he’s a human being. So, take what you can, learn from him, and make sure that you value that relationship, rather than looking at him with googly eyes every second,” the Raiders quarterback declared.

Brady and Mendoza cannot be more polar opposites. Brady was drafted in the sixth round and 199th overall pick in the 2000 NFL Draft. Prior to that, he stayed with the Michigan Wolverines for four seasons and won the national championship as a backup in 1997. He still had one of the most underrated draft comparisons despite this. Mendoza, on the other hand, transferred from the Cal Golden Bears to Indiana before ending up as the top pick for the Raiders.

Despite these differences, Brady has been quite a nice mentor for Mendoza. Albeit, the Raiders quarterback had to shift the way he viewed his new mentor. He removed his rose-tinted glasses and saw the 5% minority owner more of as a person than a hero.

“He wants to be treated as a human being and he is, like I said, an exceptional human being, and he’s someone that has a lot of characteristics and values that I look up to as a football player and as a character outside of football. But having that relationship is surreal and if you would have told me 10 years ago, I never would have believed you,” Mendoza added.

Brady is not the only mentor that Mendoza will have throughout his tenure with the Raiders. Kirk Cousins, while also vying for the Raiders starting quarterback position, is also set to help him in his NFL journey. Pressure is there, yes. But, it’s Mendoza’s support system and unrelenting spirit mixed with talent that will likely carry to Hall of Fame heights.