Las Vegas Raiders rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza has one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time guiding him throughout the early part of his career. While minority Raiders owner Tom Brady has become a mentor, Mendoza’s development is also being shaped by lessons Brady learned from watching longtime rival Peyton Manning. What do Manning and Mendoza have in common? The fact that each will have had the immense pressure to perform immediately after being drafted number one overall in their respective NFL Drafts.
In a recent appearance on the Stick to Football podcast, the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback explained how Manning’s career has evolved into the obvious point of comparison. Brady admitted that while he and Manning had very different journeys to the Hall of Fame, the former New England Patriots QB thinks that Manning experienced the pressures that are similar to what Mendoza will soon go through in Las Vegas.
Brady Believes Manning’s Journey Can Help Mendoza’s Development
Unlike Brady, a sixth-round selection who hardly carried that level of expectation into the NFL as a relative unknown, Manning joined the Indianapolis Colts after being the No. 1 overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft.
Brady believes Mendoza’s development comes with similar pressure because of where he was drafted, even if the circumstances surrounding his rookie season are different.
“It was tremendous talent that he had, to be able to do that,” Brady said. “And he was very much like me: process-oriented, tough, disciplined, driven, accountable, and I’d say that path is harder than the path I took. My path was challenging in different ways. Peyton, if he failed, everyone saw it right away. And he had to take that on, and he superseded all those expectations because of his will and determination. And I love that about him.”
Though Manning’s rookie season was marred by an NFL rookie record of 28 interceptions, Brady chose to highlight his toughness. Manning went on to become a five time MVP and two time Super Bowl winner because he did not let his early mistakes define him, an outlook Brady hopes will translate to Mendoza’s development.
Mendoza Says Brady’s Advice Has Already Made an Impact
Although Mendoza has said he prefers to keep many of his conversations with Brady private, he recently shared one message that has stayed with him throughout the offseason.
“What he said as a quarterback is you need to be the most everything,” Mendoza said. “You need to be the most competitive. You have to have the most leadership. You need to be the toughest, mentally and physically. You’ve got to embody all these things and lead by example before getting the respect from your teammates, in order to lead effectively. That really resonated with me.”
The advice reflects Brady’s belief that Mendoza’s development extends well beyond learning the Raiders’ offensive system. Physical attributes made Mendoza the best quarterback in the draft, but Brady says leadership, responsibility and toughness are all vital qualities required for a quarterback to be a franchise player in the long run.
Fortunately for the Raiders, Mendoza’s development does not have to happen overnight. Veteran QB Kirk Cousins is expected to open the season as the starting quarterback, giving the rookie valuable time to learn the offense and adjust to the speed of the NFL before being asked to lead the franchise.
Brady Believes the Process Matters More Than the Pedigree
In the end, Mendoza’s development will be defined by how he reacts to coaching, competition and failure in the upcoming years. Brady has charted his own course for stardom, which is why he has looked to Manning as an example for his process. Should Mendoza heed that example with an equal amount of discipline and grit, the Raiders will finally have a quarterback who could stick.
Main Image: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images
