Fernando Mendoza’s Priceless Reaction to Tom Brady FaceTime During Raiders Visit Goes Viral

Raiders minority owner, Tom Brady, wished Fernando Mendoza good luck before the Raiders drafted him first overall in 2026.

Fernando Mendoza’s Priceless Reaction to Tom Brady FaceTime During Raiders Visit Goes Viral

Tom Brady and Fernando Mendoza (Image via IMAGO/X)

Fernando Mendoza is the future of the Las Vegas Raiders’ offense. Mendoza idolized Tom Brady growing up in Miami. He received the chance to speak with the seven-time Super Bowl champion and a minority owner of the Raiders during the NFL Combine in February.

The Behind the Shields production team arranged a FaceTime between Brady and Mendoza. As the former Cal and Indiana signal caller arrived at the Raiders’ corner, he noticed a phone on the table. Brady waited for him on the other side.

What followed is a light-hearted exchange between the old and the new. Brady jokingly instructed Mendoza to call him by his first name, “Tom,” because people call his father “Mr. Brady.”

In his parting words, Brady told Mendoza to keep being himself.

Good luck on everything and just and keep being yourself, man. You are doing a great job… Take care. We will see you soon.

Brady said

The Raiders locked in Mendoza’s name as the first overall pick of the 2026 draft. Mendoza is currently the third former Cal quarterback in the NFL after Aaron Rodgers (Packers, Jets, and Steelers) and Jared Goff (Rams and Lions).

Mendoza committed to play for the Golden Bears in 2022. After three seasons, he transferred to the University of Indiana for his senior season. He helped the Hoosiers go undefeated and win the school’s first-ever national title.

Mendoza selected No. 15 as his jersey number. It’s a number the Raiders fans hold in high regard because it belonged to legendary quarterback Tom Flores, who won one Super Bowl as a player and three more as the Raiders’ coach.

According to Spotrac, Mendoza signed a four-year, $52.27 million fully guaranteed contract. His rookie deal includes a $38.11 million signing bonus and averages about $14.3 million per year.

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Curt Cignetti explains what makes Fernando Mendoza a great quarterback

Ahead of the 2024 college football season, Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti recruited Mendoza thanks to a helping hand from his younger brother, Alberto, who was already part of the Hoosiers roster.

Fernando Mendoza’s Priceless Reaction to Tom Brady FaceTime During Raiders Visit Goes Viral
Fernando Mendoza (Image via IMAGO)

Mendoza beat out the competition, including Alberto, for the QB1 job. The Hoosiers won the Big 10 conference ahead of Ohio State, Michigan, and Colorado without dropping one game.

In the postseason, Indiana defeated Alabama, Oregon, and Miami in the final to clinch the college football crown. Mendoza completed 72% of his passes for 3535 yards, 41 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions, while also rushing for 276 yards and 7 touchdowns.

The 22-year-old reached the final three for the Heisman Trophy along with ex-Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia and ex-Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love. Mendoza received the most first-place votes to edge out the other two, becoming the first Hoosier to win the best college player award.

This achievement propelled Mendoza as the projected first overall pick months before the Raiders selected him as their future face of the franchise. In a recent conversation with Rich Eisen on his show, Cignetti shared an observation about his former quarterback.

[Fernando Mendoza] can come off a little geeky [but] the guy is a lion as a competitor. He is ferocious, tough, and makes plays with his arms and legs. [Fernando is] real and a very deep guy. [He’s] extremely intelligent [and] can talk about a lot of different things. But committed to be great.

Cignetti told Eisen

It has been rumored that Brady played a big role in the Raiders settling on Mendoza rather than other names in the draft class. Eisen asked Cignetti whether Brady had spoken with him before the draft.

No, I talked to the head coach [Klint Kubiak]—the new head coach, and I talked to the GM [John Spytek] about another matter. But no, they didn’t need to talk to me. They let the film… It’s right there on tape. The tape don’t lie.

Cignetti revealed

The Raiders hired Klint Kubiak in the offseason. Kubiak last served as the Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator. Seattle, of course, is the defending Super Bowl champion.

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