Cousins cites Brady FaceTime chat in Raiders choice
New Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins described a FaceTime call with minority owner Tom Brady as a decisive factor in his free-agency decision. Cousins reached out to the seven-time Super Bowl champion, who called back while Cousins attended youth baseball practice. The conversation aligned their visions for the Raiders and provided strong encouragement, Cousins said on NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football.”
Cousins recounted stepping away from practice for the call, where Brady outlined his perspective on the organization and assessed Cousins’ potential fit. After hanging up, Cousins immediately told his wife the exchange felt “life-giving.” Brady has remained involved, attending the Raiders’ first organized team activity session and positioning himself as an ongoing resource via phone or text.
Cousins shares prior working history with Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak, who served as his quarterbacks coach for two seasons and offensive coordinator for one during Cousins’ time with the Minnesota Vikings. In 10 games and eight starts last season with the Atlanta Falcons, Cousins completed 61.7% of his passes for 1,721 yards, 10 touchdowns and five interceptions, leading the team to a 5-3 record in his starts including four straight wins.
The Raiders hold the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft and are expected to select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, though club officials including Brady and general manager John Spytek favor developing young quarterbacks behind a veteran. Cousins, at age 37, could bridge that transition as Mendoza awaits readiness to start.
