LOOK: Tom Brady, Mark Davis make 'unexpected' appearance at national championship game to watch Fernando Mendoza

by: Barkley Truax 2 hours ago BarkleyTruax

Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis, GM John Spytek, and minority owner Tom Brady are all present on the sideline ahead of Monday’s national championship game between Indiana and Miami. The Raiders have the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

The general consensus is that Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza will be drafted with that selection. It appears the Las Vegas brass are planning to get an early look at their next potential franchise quarterback.

“There are two key people on the sideline that showed up tonight unexpectedly — Tom Brady, the Raiders’ minority owner, was standing on the sideline not far from Mark Davis, the controlling owner of the Raiders,” ESPN’s Pete Thamel said ahead of kickoff. “They are soon to be the boss of Fernando Mendoza.”

#Raiders owner Mark Davis, GM John Spytek, and minority owner Tom Brady are all in attendance in Miami to watch Indiana QB — and potential No. 1 pick — Fernando Mendoza tonight.

( @ToneDigz) pic.twitter.com/GOhKfsUzoO

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) January 19, 2026

The Raiders finished the 2025 NFL season with a 3-14 season, which resulted in Las Vegas firing first-year head coach Pete Carroll. Amid their coaching search, the Raiders brass are doing the scouting in the meantime. They’re hoping they’ve found their next star under center, and Mendoza can add to his college resume with a win over Miami in their home stadium.

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