The Las Vegas Raiders have drawn attention throughout the offseason for the moves and changes they have made involving their team. With training camp drawing near, though, minority owner Tom Brady has popped up in the news quite a bit, thanks in large part to his involvement with the latest Fanatics Fest event.
Brady went viral on Friday night for slapping Logan Paul in a confrontation, and while folks are debating whether or not their beef is real, the legendary quarterback was back on the screens of fans everywhere for his latest move, which involved rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza. Nobody was slapped this time around, though; instead, Brady revealed that he purchased the most expensive Mendoza card available.
Tom Brady Purchases One-of-One Fernando Mendoza Card
“My first NFL Auto, 1/1. I know how hard he works. He’s got a great family. He’s coming to a great environment for success. … Ended up paying a hefty price for it.”
(🎥 @FanaticsFest, @TomBrady)
Brady is most well-known for his historic playing career in the NFL, but he’s also managed to keep busy since hanging up his cleats. Part of his work has involved purchasing a minority ownership stake in the Raiders, and unsurprisingly, he’s become very involved with the team, even though he is also working as a broadcaster for Fox.
Las Vegas has a lot of eyes on it right now, thanks in large part to the fact that it used the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft to select its quarterback of the future, Mendoza. The tie between Brady and Mendoza has quickly come to life, as the team is expected to lean on that connection to aid the rookie’s development.
While Mendoza is obviously going to be picking Brady’s brain as much as possible, the future Hall of Famer has made it clear he’s going to try to make himself as available for the Raiders’ new quarterback as possible. Brady made his commitment to Mendoza clear as day when he revealed he purchased a one-of-one auto card of Las Vegas’ rookie shot caller, which ended up being the most expensive Mendoza card available.
“My first NFL Auto, one-of-one,” Brady said while showing off the card on Saturday. “I know how hard he works. He’s got a great family, and he’s coming to a great environment for success. I figured I’ve got to invest in it … Ended up paying a hefty price. It’s a true win-win.”
Tom Brady, Raiders Have High Hopes for Fernando Mendoza
GettyHENDERSON, NEVADA – JUNE 09: Fernando Mendoza #15 of the Las Vegas Raiders throws during mandatory minicamp at the Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters/Intermountain Health Performance Center on June 09, 2026 in Henderson, Nevada. (Photo by Louis Grasse/Getty Images)
Mendoza may not start right away for the Raiders, as they also brought Kirk Cousins to town this offseason to operate as a bridge option for the team. That would give Mendoza time to develop behind the scenes, rather than immediately throwing him into the fire as part of an offense that doesn’t have many top-tier playmakers.
At some point, though, Mendoza is going to make his NFL debut in 2026, but before that happens, Las Vegas is going to do whatever it can to ensure he’s as ready for the pros as humanly possible. That will likely involve spending a lot of time with Brady, and it seems like the pair’s relationship is off to a great start as the Raiders turn their attention to training camp.
Raiders’ Owner Tom Brady Makes Eye-Opening Fernando Mendoza Move