The Las Vegas Raiders rookie QB Fernando Mendoza made headlines yesterday as he spent time discussing adjusting to life in the NFL, working under minority Raiders owner and former NFL quarterback Tom Brady, as well as veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins.
One of the primary topics discussed during the Raiders media day was Mendoza’s relationship with Brady and what advice he has given him so far.
Raiders Rookie QB Discusses Learning From Tom Brady
“As a quarterback you need to be the most everything. The most competitive, have the most leadership, need to be the toughest – mentally and physically. You have got to embody all these things and lead by example before getting the equity and respect by your teammates in order to lead effectively. That really resonated with me and the other quarterbacks.”
Every word in that quote accurate describes how Brady played when he was quarterback in the NFL. He was extremely competitive, was without question a team leader, and one of the most mentally and physically tough quarterbacks to play the game. Brady led by examples while playing for both the New England Patriots and eventually the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Brady’s advice to the Raiders rookie QB is spot on and will serve Mendoza well as he embarks upon his career in the NFL.
Brady is Not the Only Veteran That the Raiders Rookie QB is Leaning From
While sitting under the “Tom Brady Learning Tree” would be beneficial for anyone, the Raiders’ rookie QB is also learning from another veteran in Kirk Cousins. While Cousins has not seen as much success in the NFL as Brady, he is an accomplished and successful quarterback who can give plenty of advice to Mendoza as he begins his career with the Raiders.
“He’s definitely helping me a lot. He’s extremely cerebral, and he has been in this offense before. So he already has an upper hand in a sense where he’s been able to teach the other quarterbacks and have experience with the plays.”
“Not just in practice, not just in scrimmages, but in actual games. He sees how these plays have played out, he has had experience with Coach Kubiak, which has been so interesting to see, and I’ve been able to learn firsthand and secondhand, whether it’s my own experiences, whether it’s asking Kirk questions or just observing the room.”
While it’s expected that the Raiders’ rookie QB and Cousins will be battling it out for the starting position, it is nice to see that Cousins is still giving Mendoza the proper guidance he needs as a rookie. Cousins is much closer to the end of his career than the beginning, and giving back to the next generation is the right thing to do, even if it means he potentially loses out on a starting spot.
Raiders Rookie QB Benefiting from Two Veteran Mentors
For a rookie quarterback, there may not be a much better situation than the one Fernando Mendoza has landed in. Not only does the Raiders rookie QB have access to Brady’s perspective as arguably the greatest quarterback in NFL history, but he is also learning the day-to-day realities of playing the position from a seasoned veteran in Cousins.
While Brady can teach what championship-level leadership looks like, Cousins can help Mendoza navigate the challenges that come with preparing every week in the NFL. The Raiders’ rookie QB appears to be taking advantage of both opportunities, and that could pay significant dividends as his career begins.
