How a ‘Life-Giving’ FaceTime with Tom Brady Helped Kirk Cousins Sign with Raiders

Kirk Cousins has followed the same playbook all three times he’s been a free agent. However, before he signed with the Las Vegas Raiders, the veteran quarterback’s free-agency game plan called for something different: a FaceTime call with Tom Brady. A few days after Cousins officially signed with Las Vegas, he shared that he spoke with Brady, a minority owner of the Raiders, in an unusual setting before making his free-agent decision. “You know me, I’m going to do my homework before I sign somewhere. So, I had a lot of conversations with people here and there with the Raiders’ organization,” Cousins told NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football.” “One of those conversations was with Tom. I texted him and asked him to call me when he could. He actually FaceTimed me. I was at youth baseball practice. So, I stepped away and just FaceTimed with Tom for a little bit, just to get on the same page and the vision for the organization and kind of what he saw ahead and if I would be a good fit for it or not.” That call gave Cousins the clarification he needed on whether to sign with the Raiders. “I got off the call, and I called my wife and I said, ‘That was a really life-giving call with Tom,'” Cousins said. “He gets it. He’s been where I’ve been, and then some. I think he understands what it needs to look like and what it will look like. I really felt a shot in the arm after talking with him and I felt that was a big nudge for me to come to Vegas. Cousins signed relatively late in the free agency process, picking Las Vegas as his new home nearly a month after he was released by the Atlanta Falcons. He reportedly agreed to a five-year deal worth up to $172 million in total money. However, only $20 million of the contract is guaranteed, giving the Raiders a potential out after the 2026 season. Putting the money aside, Cousins will likely serve as a mentor to quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who the Raiders are highly expected to take with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. In fact, Cousins seemed to spoil the Raiders’ draft plans in the interview with “Good Morning Football,” saying “Fernando is going to be a great addition to our team.” Some also presumed that the 37-year-old Cousins might have received a guarantee to be the Raiders’ Week 1 starter when he signed with Las Vegas. But he told “Good Morning Football” that “I honestly don’t want to start unless I’m the best option,” adding that he’s relayed that message to first-year Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak. While Cousins will be relied on to help mentor and develop Mendoza, he shared that he’s looking forward to the opportunity to learn from Brady, who Cousins said was at the Raiders’ facility for the first day of organized team activities. “Didn’t expect that, but he stopped by the quarterback room and I was able to catch up with him in the cafeteria,” Cousins said. “He just wants to be a resource. I don’t know if he’s going to be around all the time, but he’s always a phone call or text away, and I think to have a guy who has won seven Super Bowls a phone call or text away that’s embedded into your organization, that’s gotta be a positive.”