The first NFL preseason game is officially in the books for the Las Vegas Raiders, with the team finally getting a glimpse of veteran newcomer Kirk Cousins and rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza under center.
Although it feels like a foregone conclusion that Cousins will be the Week 1 starter against the Miami Dolphins at Allegiant Stadium on Sept. 13, Mendoza has made things interesting during training camp and in his first preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday night in Las Vegas.
Mendoza threw his first touchdown in silver and black, which caught the attention of a former Raiders star quarterback, Derek Carr, who is clearly keeping tabs on the No. 1 overall pick out of Indiana University.
Derek Carr Reacts to Fernando Mendoza’s First Raiders TD Pass
On Thursday night at Allegiant Stadium, the Raiders hosted the Cardinals in one of three preseason games for the storied franchise ahead of the 2026 NFL season.
With Mendoza being the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, all eyes were on the rookie quarterback once he got on the field in the first quarter. Cousins got the game underway by leading the team to a touchdown on the opening drive, connecting with tight end Michael Mayer on a 13-yard pass.
Then the reigning Heisman Trophy winner got his shot to show what he can do. He fell short on a six-play drive to get his first NFL preseason underway, resulting in a punt to end the quarter.
Mendoza then got it going in the second quarter, sparked by an impressive 53-yard explosion by fellow rookie Mike Washington Jr.
Ultimately, Mendoza ended up connecting with wide receiver Jack Bech on a six-yard touchdown pass to even the score at 14 apiece. Carr showed some love to the rookie quarterback, quote-tweeting the video of the touchdown and simply saying:
“First of many!”
If the Raiders’ brass made the right move by bringing in Mendoza to be the new face of the franchise eventually, Carr is right on the money, as it could very well be the first of many touchdowns thrown by the talented young quarterback.
Obviously, it’s only the preseason, and things change drastically once the NFL regular season rolls around, but it was a promising start for the rookie quarterback, who will be under tremendous pressure if he ends up beating out Cousins for the start job ahead of Week 1.
Mendoza finished the game, completing 10 of 16 passes for 97 yards and a touchdown.
Kirk Cousins’ Job to Lose’ After First Raiders Preseason Game
GettyKirk Cousins #8 of the Las Vegas Raiders
After the Raiders fell to the Cardinals, 27-14, head coach Klint Kubiak made it clear in the postgame press conference that the starting job under center is Cousins’ to lose moving forward, with two preseason games left on the schedule.
Raiders HC Klint Kubiak speaks on the Raiders starting QB position after Kirk Cousins & Fernando Mendoza each throw TDs in the team’s pre season opener.
🎥: By @Sean_Zittel, Vegas Sports Today
“Kirk’s been given the reps with the ones,” Kubiak said of the Raiders’ starting quarterback job. “I think he’s had a solid training camp, and it’s his job to lose.”
The smart move is usually to run with the veteran over the rookie at the start of the NFL regular season, and all indications point to that being the case for the Raiders.
However, if Mendoza shows he’s the better quarterback over the course of the next two preseason games, Kubiak could have a tough choice to make ahead of Week 1 against the Dolphins.
Derek Carr’s 3-Word Reaction to Fernando Mendoza’s First Raiders TD Says It All