The Las Vegas Raiders have made a lot of big moves and decisions this offseason, but in the wake of cutting their roster down to 53 players, the team still had one big decision to make. With Week 1 quickly approaching, first-year head coach Klint Kubiak needed to pick a starting quarterback, with Kirk Cousins and No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza being his two choices.
All offseason long, the Raiders indicated that Cousins will begin the season under center, and sure enough, Kubiak revealed that he will draw the start for the team in Week 1. Many folks want to see Mendoza take the field, but Las Vegas is opting to give him time to develop behind the scenes to begin the year. After naming Cousins the starter, Kubiak took a second to address his decision to start him over Mendoza.
Klint Kubiak Explains Why Kirk Cousins Will Start Over Fernando Mendoza
Once the Raiders earned the No. 1 selection in the 2026 NFL Draft, it became clear that Mendoza was going to be the pick. Sure enough, Las Vegas brought him to town with the intention of making him its quarterback of the future, but he’s going to begin his career watching from the sidelines.
After moving on from Geno Smith this offseason, the Raiders made an effort to find another veteran quarterback who could come in and bridge the gap to Mendoza. Cousins ended up being that guy, as he signed what effectively is a one-year, $20 million contract with the team. Ever since he arrived in town, the expectation was that Cousins would be the Week 1 starter.
Mendoza showed flashes of his potential throughout training camp, but with Cousins holding his own under center, there was never really any sort of doubt as to which way Kubiak was leaning. The team’s new head coach knows fans want to see Mendoza, but according to Kubiak, Cousins earned the right to start over him.
“He played really good football,” Kubiak said of Cousins when explaining his decision. “I’m really happy with all three of our quarterbacks. Kirk’s had a really good offseason, very good camp and he’s earned it.”
Raiders Set to Roll With Kirk Cousins for the Time Being
There’s certainly no harm in allowing Mendoza to sit behind the scenes and acclimate himself to life in the NFL, especially if Cousins is playing well enough to keep the offense competitive. With Mendoza breathing right down his neck, though, you can bet that Cousins isn’t going to have a very long leash if he struggles to begin the year.
With Cousins officially in line to begin the year under center, the Raiders can begin preparing for their Week 1 action against the Miami Dolphins. Las Vegas is actually favored to win this game, as Miami is just beginning its own rebuild and appears to be in a worse spot on paper, at least. Kickoff for this game is scheduled for 4:25 p.m. ET on Sep. 13, and when the Raiders’ offense takes the field, Cousins is going to be the guy leading the huddle.
Raiders’ HC Klint Kubiak Breaks Silence on Controversial Quarterback Decision