Raiders rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza meets Tom Brady every night. They sit, watch film, and talk. Brady pulls from his time coaching Peyton Manning to show Mendoza how to read a defense. He points out Manning’s habit of saying the play aloud and of snapping the ball on deep throws. In practice they run the same drill repeatedly. The Raiders staff watches the sessions.
They say Mendoza’s reads are sharper and his release is quicker. Mendoza believes the nightly advice could define his future.