Tom Brady built a Hall of Fame career by proving himself every Sunday, and he expects Las Vegas Raiders rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza to do the same. Speaking with Liz Claman on FOX Business's "The Claman Countdown," the seven-time Super Bowl champion and Raiders minority owner made it clear that offseason hype and draft status carry no weight in the NFL.
"Well, I love Fernando, but Fernando is like every other young rookie," Brady said. "He's got to go out there and earn it like everybody else... none of these young players, none of the rookies have ever had a meaningful snap in the NFL."
Brady, who was selected in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft and went on to become the league's most decorated quarterback, stressed that a player's career is defined by what happens after the draft. "Their career and their journey will be determined by the work that they put in, by the adversities that they overcome, by the kind of teammate and team player that they are," he added.
Mendoza, a rookie quarterback who played college football at the University of California, Berkeley, before transferring to Indiana University, faces an uphill battle to secure a roster spot with the Raiders. The team already has veteran quarterback Gardner Minshew and second-year signal-caller Aidan O'Connell on the depth chart, making Mendoza's path to playing time a steep one. Brady's comments underscore the reality that every rookie, regardless of pedigree, must earn their place in the league.
Brady's message to Mendoza reflects the same mindset he says he is bringing to his latest off-field venture. The 48-year-old recently joined digital health company eMed as its Chief Wellness Officer, aiming to provide everyday Americans with access to the kind of health guidance he relied on throughout his legendary 23-season career. "My body truly was my asset as a football player," Brady recalled. "So you're right, I was very lucky over a period of time to learn a lot of disciplines that allowed me to take the field feeling very healthy, feeling energized and excited about going out there to try to, you know, win some football games."
Brady wants to bring that same blueprint to people who do not have access to an NFL-caliber support system. "But when I retired, I realized that there's a lot of people in life that maybe they're not professional athletes, but to a degree, we all are living athletic lifestyles," he said. "We wanna be healthy. We wanna play with our kids. We wanna play with grandkids."
During the interview, Brady also praised the impact of GLP-1 medications, such as Ozempic and Wegovy, in helping people begin improving their health. "There's no debate about the way that this medicine is working right now in terms of keeping people and getting people on their wellness journey started," Brady stated. "And then we do a great job keeping them on that journey."
To Brady, whether the goal is winning the starting quarterback job or improving someone's health, success comes down to focusing on fundamentals. "I realized that a lot of the values that I had as an NFL player transitioned very well to what happens in the workforce," Brady explained. "And it comes down to accountability, discipline, showing up for other people, serving other people."
Brady's comments come as the Raiders prepare for training camp later this summer, where Mendoza will compete alongside other quarterbacks for a spot on the roster. The rookie's performance in preseason games and practices will ultimately determine whether he can follow Brady's advice and earn his opportunity in the NFL.
