Tom Brady gave Las Vegas Raiders rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza a private leadership blueprint during a recent meeting, advice that the No. 1 overall pick said he immediately wrote down in a notebook.
Brady delivered the lesson at a private lunch that also included rapper Travis Scott. Mendoza described the gathering to Sports Illustrated‘s Gilberto Manzano as wide-ranging â touching on leadership, accountability, playing, and business â but said the central theme was consistent and clear.
Tom Brady’s Private Leadership Formula
The seven-time Super Bowl champion told Mendoza that great quarterbacks focus on two things above all else.
“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 told Manzano. “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.”
Mendoza said Brady’s advice was substantial enough that he filled a notepad during the session and planned to review his notes that same night.
“It was quality information,” he told Manzano.
Brady’s role with the Raiders makes his mentorship significant beyond the personal. The 48-year-old holds a minority ownership stake in the franchise, giving his presence in Mendoza’s development an organizational dimension as well as an advisory one.
Mendoza sat for the SI interview while attending the NFLPA Rookie Premiere in Los Angeles last week. The three-day event introduces rookies to player benefits and sponsorship opportunities, but Mendoza was candid about where he’d rather have been.
“I’d rather be practicing right now and I was really upset about actually having to miss practice for this,” he told Manzano. “I’m not going to feel sorry for myself and feel wishy-washy. I’m going to have a smile on my face and make the most of that present moment.”
GettyFernando Mendoza recently shared a private piece of advice given to him by legendary QB Tom Brady.
Mendoza on Kirk Cousins, LinkedIn, and Life as a Raider
The SI interview also touched on Mendoza’s relationship with Kirk Cousins, who is expected to open the 2026 season as the starter while Mendoza develops behind him. The two appeared together in the Raiders’ schedule release video, which was a parody of the Will Ferrell-John C. Reilly comedy Step Brothers. Mendoza gave Cousins full credit for carrying the production. Cousins, a veteran of Netflix’s Quarterback documentary series, took the lead without much rehearsal.
“He outshined me,” Mendoza said.
On LinkedIn, Mendoza became a minor social media phenomenon for posting on the professional networking platform during the pre-draft process. The quarterback said his mindset has shifted now that he has a job. The focus has moved from finding work to excelling at it.
Mendoza was the consensus top prospect out of Indiana, where he led the Hoosiers to a perfect 16-0 record and the program’s first national championship. He threw for 3,535 yards, 41 touchdowns, and six interceptions last season. The Raiders have not made the postseason since 2021, and only twice since their last Super Bowl appearance in 2002.
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