The Las Vegas Raiders continue to be patient with rookie No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza. There’s a lot of hype surrounding the young quarterback, but the team is going to keep starting Kirk Cousins for now.
Tom Brady’s presence looms large over any decision involving the quarterback. When he came into the NFL, he had to wait to play, which may be why the Raiders have favored bringing Mendoza along slowly.
Brady has mostly lurked in the shadows for the team, but as a part owner, he’s got a lot invested in the franchise. He had a big voice in the Raiders’ decision to draft Mendoza. He’s somebody the young quarterback can lean on as he embarks on his NFL career.
Brady knows how important family is to many football players, so he’s gone out of his way to make sure Mendoza and his family have felt welcome. Fernando Mendoza’s mother, Elsa Mendoza, had nothing but good things to say about Brady.
“He’s such a kind person, and he’s everything you would expect and more,” Elsa Mendoza said of Brady in an interview with PEOPLE. “You would think that, being everything he’s accomplished and all the records he’s broken, that he would be somebody untouchable. He is so kind. He has always made us feel like the door’s open.”
Elsa Mendoza Happy That Brady Is Mentoring Fernando
Being a rookie No. 1 pick is a ton of pressure on a young player. It helps to have a person like Brady to rely on. According to Elsa Mendoza, Brady has been a great resource for Fernando.
“Anytime we need him to call, he’s been so welcoming to Fernando, helps Fernando with any questions, tells Fernando there’s an open line of communication. He’s also offered that to us,” Elsa Mendoza said. “I mean, I could not want a better mentor for my son. He is a kind person, a good person, an excellent football player.”
Having the greatest quarterback of all time to mentor you is never a bad thing. Elsa Mendoza is very happy to have Brady working with her son.
“I can honestly tell you there is no one else that I would want to mentor my son besides Tom Brady,” Elsa Mendoza added.
Elsa Mendoza Praises Fernando
Brady and the Raiders can give Fernando Mendoza many tools to succeed, but it’s up to him to become a great player. Elsa Mendoza is very confident in her son.
“What makes me proud is he’s really a team player, and he’s not only a team player on the field. He’s a team player in life,” Elsa Mendoza said. “He doesn’t put himself first. He wants everybody to be successful, and he is willing to help whoever it is in any way they can.”
“It makes me so proud that he’s just a good person and really does have everybody’s interest at heart,” she continues. “He doesn’t have a bad bone in his body. He wants the team to be well. Whether it’s him on the field or [Raiders starting quarterback] Kirk Cousins, who’s wonderful on the field, he wants the best for the team.”
Fernando Mendoza’s Mom Gives Insight Into QB’s Relationship With Tom Brady