Tom Brady Shares Sideline Moment With Fernando Mendoza’s Little Brother During Raiders Debut

Tom Brady had two Mendozas to keep an eye on Thursday night at Allegiant Stadium.

The Raiders minority owner was in the building as Fernando Mendoza made his long-awaited preseason debut, and before kickoff, he found time for a warm moment with someone who wasn’t even playing: Mendoza’s younger brother, Max.

The Las Vegas Raiders opened their 2026 preseason with a 27-14 loss to the Arizona Cardinals, but the result barely mattered next to what unfolded on the sideline and, later, on the field. Kirk Cousins started under center for new coach Klint Kubiak, throwing a 13-yard touchdown to tight end Michael Mayer on the opening drive. Then, at the 3:39 mark of the first quarter, Kubiak turned the offense over to his rookie.

Mendoza, the No. 1 overall pick out of Indiana, went 10-of-16 for 97 yards and a 6-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jack Bech, according to the Associated Press. He also took a sack and added six yards on the ground before his night ended after the first snap of the fourth quarter.

Kubiak liked what he saw. “I thought he led a good scoring drive as far as getting in and out of the huddle and commanding the group and getting the play calls down,” the coach said, according to the AP. “I saw the same guy that we’ve seen in practice. I see an ascending player.”

Mendoza was tougher on himself. “Unfortunately, I let my teammates down today,” he said, per the same AP report. “But it’s a growing experience, and I feel like we’re all growing.”

Brady Makes Time for Mendoza’s Brother

In the video, Brady shakes Max’s hand, pulls him in for a hug, and greets him by name: “Hey, Max! Good to see you, buddy.” He then compliments the teenager’s jacket, telling him, “I have one just like that. Although yours looks a lot better than mine. That is awesome,” per HITC.

It’s a small gesture, but it says something about how close Brady got to the Mendoza family during the pre-draft process. As the Raiders’ de facto head of football operations, Brady was directly involved in evaluating and eventually landing Mendoza with the top pick — a fact the New York Post has reported extensively on this offseason. Knowing a prospect’s kid brother by name and recognizing his jacket isn’t the kind of detail that comes from a scouting report. It comes from time spent with the family.

A Long-Awaited First Look

Brady wasn’t the only owner watching closely. Mark Davis was also on hand as Mendoza took his first snaps as a professional, capping a run-up that started back in January, when Brady, Davis and general manager John Spytek were spotted scouting Mendoza in person at the College Football Playoff national championship game.

Thursday’s outing came with the usual preseason caveats — this was a backup offensive line, a second-team supporting cast, and an Arizona defense that projects as one of the league’s weaker units. Still, Mendoza avoided the kind of mistakes that derail rookie debuts, and he flashed the processing speed that made him the Heisman winner at Indiana.

The Raiders will have to balance patience with opportunity going forward. Kirk Cousins remains the Week 1 starter, but Thursday did nothing to quiet the questions about how long that arrangement lasts if Mendoza keeps building on a performance like this one.

Mendoza’s Preseason Debut By The Numbers

The Raiders head to Houston next Thursday for their second preseason game, where Mendoza figures to see another extended look.