Two major storylines are running close to each other this week. One is from the National Football League, which involves the Las Vegas Raiders’ HC search led by their minority owner, Tom Brady. And the other one is the national championship of college football. Though both might look different at this point, Brady is looking for some major connections in it, with a strong focus on the Indiana Hoosiers QB, Fernando Mendoza.
Raiders’ Tom Brady Reportedly Eyes Fernando Mendoza Amid Indiana-Miami Championship Game
The Raiders are looking for their future head coach after an experienced coach like Pete Carroll couldn’t even help them have a winning season. They fired the former Seattle Seahawks HC and are now searching for a new one, with Brady at the center of the search. But this search might take a QB route, too.
Per Dianna Russini of The Athletic, “The Raiders have asked a few head coaching candidates to meet them in Miami at the national championship game, where Tom Brady is also expected to be.” Brady will be announcing the national championship game and will also have discussions with the future franchise head coaches.
The Raiders have asked a few head coaching candidates to meet them in Miami at the national championship game, where Tom Brady is also expected to be.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) January 17, 2026
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero also reported, “The Raiders officials will be in Miami on Monday night to watch Fernando Mendoza in the national championship game. Hours before, they’ll meet with Mike McDaniel, who then jets to L.A. to meet with the division rival Chargers on Tuesday about their offensive coordinator job.”
As the Hoosiers are facing the Miami Hurricanes in the national championship of college football on Jan. 19, 2026, Brady is also expected to take a close look at Heisman Trophy winner Mendoza. The reason behind this is crystal clear: they want a future franchise QB.
Mendoza is on the brink of putting a bow on a truly historic college football campaign. He has guided Indiana to a program-best 15 wins in a single season, highlighted by dominant playoff victories over Alabama and Oregon, outscoring those two powerhouses by a combined 94–25.
The Raiders have a No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. After Mendoza announced that he will be entering the 2026 NFL Draft, it looks like a concrete prediction that Mendoza will be picked up by Brady and the Raiders’ other officials.
The other reason behind this QB search is their wobbly QB room. To talk about Geno Smith, he is expected to leave LA. Per the Raiders insider Vinny Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, “The way he played this year… I think Geno Smith wants out for himself, maybe a clean slate if he even wants to continue to play football again. But I think Geno Smith has played his last game for the Raiders.”
Thus, the veteran QB, who was questionable during the last few games, might go somewhere else. The other two QBs on the roster are Kenny Pickett and Aidan O’Connell, who have worked as backups.
That means the Raiders need a new QB who certainly has a Super Bowl-winning caliber. Mendoza backed up Indiana’s historic 2025 run with elite production. He threw for 3,349 yards, led the nation with 41 touchdown passes, which tops college football.
He finished the season with just six interceptions while completing roughly 73 percent of his throws. Mendoza’s efficiency showed up in the advanced numbers as well, posting the best QBR in college football.
But while Brady locks eyes with Mendoza, the Raiders will have to deal with multiple head coaching interviews.
Las Vegas Raiders’ HC Search Continues
After pulling the plug on Pete Carroll following a brutal 3–14 campaign, the Raiders have wasted little time ramping up their head coaching search and evaluating a deep pool of candidates to lead the franchise forward.
The team has already conducted interviews with several notable names, including Kevin Stefanski, Matt Nagy, Klint Kubiak, Vance Joseph, and Jeff Hafley, as Las Vegas continues to weigh different philosophies and backgrounds.
The interview process is not finished yet, either, with Joe Brady and Klay Kubiak scheduled to sit down with Brady and Raiders officials on Sunday as the organization looks to reset after a disastrous season.
