Fernando Mendoza is walking into a new world filled with high expectations.
A minority owner of his new employer, the Las Vegas Raiders, knows a thing about living up to such standards. Tom Brady is assisting the No. 1 overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft as he acclimates to the pro game, offering valuable advice to the 2025 Heisman Trophy winner as he enters the next chapter of his football journey.
"I usually like to keep the talks between Tom and me private. But I do think what he said as a quarterback is you need to be the most everything," Mendoza said . "You need to be the most competitive. You need to be the most leader -- you have to have the most leadership. You need to be the toughest, mentally and physically. You've got to embody all these things and lead by example before getting the respect from your teammates, in order to lead effectively.
"That really resonated with me."
While Mendoza's prestigious draft slot places great responsibility on his shoulders, Las Vegas has wisely constructed a roster that won't need to rely on the rookie immediately. Coach Klint Kubiak received his wish when Las Vegas' front office moved quickly to sign veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins, supplying the rookie coach with an experienced leader who can calmly guide the Raiders into their new era without immediately throwing Mendoza into the fire.
Theoretically, this should afford Mendoza time to learn, grow and get comfortable with Kubiak's offense as well as the responsibilities that come with being a quarterback in the NFL. Before long, though, he'll take the field and be forced to adjust to the speed of the pro game, an environment commonly perceived by rookies as a hornet's nest.
Brady found himself in a similar situation when he was called upon to replace an injured Drew Bledsoe in 2001. We all know how that ended, and as Brady explained, he only fought his way through the chaos by working tirelessly to be the best in every department.
The same will be expected of Mendoza. Luckily, he has the greatest of all time in his corner.
