Fernando Mendoza is treating Tom Brady‘s newsletter like a playbook – reading it every single night as part of his pre-season preparation routine. That detail, disclosed in an interview with David Rumsey of Front Office Sports, signals something bigger than a rookie’s reading habit. It confirms Brady’s ownership role with the Las Vegas Raiders has evolved into hands-on quarterback development nobody else in the league can replicate.
What Mendoza Said About the Brady Newsletter
Brady launched his newsletter “199” in January 2025, roughly three months after receiving minority owner approval from the NFL in October 2024. Mendoza told Rumsey the newsletter has become his nightly read – a deliberate, structured study tool rather than casual content.
“I try to read one every single night as part of my nightly reading. That’s like my book, for now.”
Any questions that surface from those sessions go directly to either Brady or Raiders wellness coordinator Alex Guerrero. That feedback loop – newsletter to question to direct answer – is not something a 23-year-old quarterback gets anywhere else in the NFL.
Brady Is Active in the Quarterback Room, Not Just on the Cap Table
Mendoza shared a specific example of how that access plays out in real time. He, Kirk Cousins, Jacob Clark, and Tyler Linderbaum had a late-night question in the quarterback room and sent a voice memo directly to Brady. Brady answered it – fast, and in detail.
“We had a question about a specific concept, and we were all there. Kirk was able to voice memo Tom really quick, and he got back to us, and it was a great answer that we took a lot from.”
This is not Brady offering motivational content from a distance. This is an active quarterback mentor sitting inside the operation – attending film sessions, weighing in on footwork and situational football, and responding to voice memos from his own team’s quarterbacks at night.
The Brady-Mendoza Connection Predates the Draft
Brady attended the CFP National Championship in person to evaluate Mendoza before the 2026 NFL Draft, then met him formally at the combine. Mendoza described that first interaction as “very special.” Brady had already publicly praised Mendoza’s poise and accuracy under pressure, telling Forbes he processes the game at a high level.
Mendoza was selected No. 1 overall in the 2026 draft – a pick widely linked to Brady’s influence inside the building. Brady holds roughly 5% of the Raiders, but his operational footprint extends well beyond that stake. Owner Mark Davis has leaned heavily on Brady for major football decisions, including the hirings of GM Jon Spytek and head coach Klint Kubiak.
Brady’s core message to Mendoza has centered on two demands: consistency and accountability. Brady reportedly told him a quarterback must be the most competitive, the most mentally and physically tough, and the most prepared person in the building every single day. Mendoza has repeated that standard publicly – Brady’s benchmark is that a QB must be “the most everything.”
Development Timeline and What Bettors Should Track
NFL Network‘s Ian Rapoport reported the Raiders plan to start Kirk Cousins as long as possible to extend Mendoza‘s development window. That plan gives Brady more runway to shape Mendoza’s game before he faces live NFL pressure. For bettors and fantasy managers tracking second-year breakout candidates, Mendoza’s timeline is the central variable in the Raiders’ offensive outlook.
The probability that Mendoza starts before Week 10 sits somewhere around 35/65 against, based on the current depth chart and Rapoport’s reporting. But every game Cousins starts buys Brady another week to develop a quarterback he helped draft. The Raiders are also building around other young offensive pieces – wide receiver Malik Benson emerged during minicamp as another weapon Mendoza will eventually lean on.
This is not a soft mentorship arrangement built on celebrity access. This is a seven-time Super Bowl winner with financial and reputational skin in the game running a daily curriculum for his franchise quarterback. The Raiders have built something genuinely unusual – and the newsletter is just the most visible piece of it.
