In April, the Las Vegas Raiders decided to bet their future on the right arm of Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza. After being selected by the team with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, Mendoza is expected to lead the franchise — both on and off the field — for many years to come.
That prospect could be daunting for most rookie quarterbacks. Thankfully, Mendoza has Raiders minority owner Tom Brady to offer up some advice.
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Mendoza had lunch with Brady and rapper Travis Scott, where the trio talked about leadership, accountability and business, according to Sports Illustrated. While Mendoza said the meeting with “private,” he did reveal 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. 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.”
Both of those “variables” track with Brady’s career. During his time with the New England Patriots, Brady routinely took less money in order for the team to make other additions to strengthen the roster.
Famously, the Patriots also took the field as a team ahead of Super Bowl XXXVI vs. the St. Louis Rams. That was an unusual decision at the time, as individual players were often announced ahead of the Super Bowl. The Patriots went on to win that game, launching Brady even further into the spotlight.
Things weren’t always rosy. There are plenty of videos showing Brady arguing with teammates or coaches on the sideline during his career. There were also rumors his relationship with coach Bill Belichick frayed around the time Brady decided to leave the Patriots. Those examples don’t mean Brady was a poor leader, they just illustrate some of the difficulties Mendoza could face in the NFL, even if he enters the league with the best intentions.
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For now, though, Mendoza can focus on living up to Brady’s two leadership variables. If Mendoza can establish himself on the field and give the Raiders a steady leader in the locker room, it would go a long way toward the franchise getting back on track after making just two playoff appearances in the last 23 seasons.
