NFL news: Kirk Cousins says Tom Brady call was ‘big nudge’ to sign with Raiders
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Tom Brady is not only a seven-time Super Bowl champion and one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, but he is also a great employer.
The quarterback of the New Las Vegas Raiders Kirk Cousins praised Brady, the small owner of the Raiders, for giving him a big challenge during his free agency decision.
“I sent (Brady) a message, I asked him to call me when he could, and he actually FaceTimed me-I was at youth baseball tryouts. So, I just FaceTimed with Tom for a minute just to get on the same page and understand his vision of the organization and the type of what he sees going forward and if I can be a good fit or not,” said Cousins during the appearance of the NFL Morning Networks “Morning Networks.”
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Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady greet each other after the game at Raymond James Stadium. The game took place in Tampa, Florida, on Dec. 13, 2020. (Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports)
“I got off the phone and called my wife and said, ‘That was a really life-giving call with Tom.’ You know, you get it. He’s been where I’ve been and then others, and I think he understands what it should look like, what it’s going to look like, and I felt like a shot in the arm, um, you know, after talking to him. And I felt like that was my biggest move to come to Vegas. “
Cousin said Brady has been “great” throughout the process and that his interview with the New England Patriots legend was one of many he had while doing homework on the Raiders. The 37-year-old said Brady was in the building on the first day of OTAs and wants to be a resource.
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Former NFL quarterback Tom Brady reacts before the NFL football game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Los Angeles Rams at M&T Bank Stadium on Oct. 12, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Michael Owens/Getty Images)
“He just wants to be a resource. I don’t know if he’s going to be there all the time, but he’s always calling, texting out. And I think having a guy who’s won seven Super Bowls, a phone call or a deleted message put into your organization, that’s got to be a good thing,” Cousins said.
Although the Raiders are widely expected to take Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft, there’s no guarantee he’ll start Week 1. Brady and general manager John Spytek have said multiple times that they believe they shouldn’t play a younger quarterback right away, making it uncertain whether Mendoza will start Week 1.
Cousins is familiar with new Raiders coach Klint Kubiak. During Cousins’ time with the Minnesota Vikings, Kubiak was his quarterbacks coach for two seasons and his offensive coordinator for another.
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Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins throws a pass against the Arizona Cardinals in Glendale, Ariz., on Dec. 21, 2025. (Ross D. Franklin/AP)
The Raiders plan would be to sit Mendoza under Cousin until they think he is ready to start and be the face of their franchise.
In 10 games and eight starts last season with the Atlanta Falcons, Cousins completed 61.7% of his passes for 1,721 yards with 10 touchdowns and five interceptions. The team had a 5-3 record in his first start, including winning the last four.
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