Tom Brady's Message Revealed by Fernando Mendoza a Day Before the 2026 Draft
It looks like Tom Brady may have already made his presence felt ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft, and Fernando Mendoza just gave everyone a glimpse of it. With the Las Vegas Raiders widely expected to take Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick, the anticipation is already sky high but nothing is official just yet.
Still, Mendoza revealed Brady's message to him before the draft As draft day approaches, that interaction is starting to feel like more than just a casual conversation, especially with so much on the line for both player and franchise.
Speaking to Dan Patrick on the latest episode of his show, Mendoza was asked if he had met Brady and if the seven-time Super Bowl winning quarterback had any advice for him.
"He gave me the message that he's going to push me, and he's not going to be all lovey-dovey – and that if the #Raiders draft me, he's going to be a mentor and wants to pour into whatever QB the Raiders have."
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) April 22, 2026
– @fernandomendoza on meeting Tom Brady & watching Kirk Cousins film pic.twitter.com/gMlue6ERXu
He said, "I have, I met him in the official 30 visit at the Raiders. He gave me the message that he's going to push me, and he's not going to be all lovey-dovey – and that if the Raiders draft me, he's going to be a mentor and wants to pour into whatever QB the Raiders have."
Will Fernando Mendoza Start Week 1?
The Las Vegas Raiders might be on the verge of drafting Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick, but they are not treating him like an automatic starter just yet. From the outside, it feels like a done deal franchise quarterback arrives, takes the reins, and the rebuild begins. Inside the building, though, the approach seems a lot more cautious.
The Raiders are planning to let things play out naturally. Mendoza will walk into a quarterback room that already includes Kirk Cousins and Aidan O'Connell, and he will have to earn his spot just like everyone else. There is no rush to throw him into the deep end, even with the pressure that comes with being the likely top pick.
And that probably says more about how the team views the position than anything else. The jump from college football to the NFL is not always smooth, especially for quarterbacks who need to adjust to new systems, faster defenses and a completely different level of responsibility.
So while fans might be expecting Mendoza to start right away, the Raiders seem more focused on making sure he is actually ready when his moment comes. If that happens early, great. If not, they are comfortable taking a slower path rather than forcing things too soon.
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This story was originally published April 22, 2026 at 1:28 PM.