Fernando Mendoza is the new face of the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Raiders No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft grew up idolizing Tom Brady for many years in Massachusetts. Now three ex-Heisman winners at Raiders are giving the rookie some blunt advice as Mendoza gets ready for the upcoming season.
Tim Brown, former Raiders wide receiver, told the rookie quarterback: “Don’t try and be Tom Brady… Just be who you are.”
Marcus Allen and Charles Woodson of the Raiders “Perfect 10” era also shared their thoughts about the star. They want Mendoza to focus on his own skills on the field.
Marcus Allen urges the rookie to be a great Raiders teammate
In an interview with Raiders.com, Marcus Allen, Tim Brown and Charles Woodson opened up about what they think of Fernando Mendoza’s prospects at Raiders – especially given that they are also former Heisman trophy winner who made it big in Raiders.
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The three of them met the rookie QB as he first arrived in Las Vegas after the NFL draft.
“He’s just a real personable guy that wants to answer every question and give you a full answer for every question,” Tim Brown told Raiders.com after he first met the QB. “Not just, ‘We wanted to run this and run that’ but he goes into detail with his answers,” he added.
“It’s not his arm is super strong or he’s super athletic, but he seems to make very good choices. Seems to know when to run and when not to run,” Brown added.
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Marcus Allen also praised Mendoza’s decision-making skills. “I saw that he’s obviously made big plays in crucial situations, which is a really good sign,” Allen said.
“He’s made plays when his team has actually needed him, that’s another good sign. … I hope that’s the quarterback that gives us stability because we’ve lacked that.”
Same with Charles Woodson. “He’s a big kid, he can run, he’s got some mobility,” said Woodson. “But he looked like he knows where to go with the football, and I think that’s most important.”
Tom Brady promises to push the rookie
Tom Brady is a part owner of the Raiders and a mentor for Mendoza. He has made a tough promise to the rookie quarterback. Brady said, “He’s not going to be all lovey-dovey” during their meetings.
Mendoza led Indiana to a perfect 16-0 record and a title. Now he must learn to play under center for coach Klint Kubiak. Adapting to the new system is the first big test for him.
