The most intriguing storyline throughout training camp and the NFL preseason for the Las Vegas Raiders has been the quarterback battle between veteran newcomer Kirk Cousins and No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza.
Although Cousins has always been in the lead and the smart bet to be the Week 1 starter, Mendoza did make things interesting throughout the preseason, showing flashes of his potential to be the team’s next franchise player under center.
Klint Kubiak Officially Names Kirk Cousins the Raiders’ Starting QB
After the preseason came to an end and the team cut the roster down to the maximum of 53 players over the weekend, the question loomed about who the new Raiders head coach, Klint Kubiak, would run with as the team’s starting quarterback for Week 1 against the Miami Dolphins.
On Wednesday, Kubiak made it official that Cousins will be the Raiders’ starting quarterback moving forward, according to Sam Warren of The Athletic.
Kirk Cousins will start at quarterback for the Las Vegas Raiders in their Week 1 matchup against the Miami Dolphins, head coach Klint Kubiak announced on Wednesday.
Throughout the entire process, Cousins being the starter seemed inevitable, as Kubiak and company didn’t seem willing to thrust Mendoza into the fire right away, which is likely the wise move, considering it is uncertain how the new-look offensive line will hold up once the 2026 NFL season gets underway on Sept. 13.
Raiders Rookie Fernando Mendoza Will Be Kirk Cousins’ Backup
With Cousins winning the starting job, rookie Fernando Mendoza will begin his NFL career as the team’s backup quarterback, with Aidan O’Connell sitting behind the Indiana University product.
Kubiak gave some insight into what he sees for the highly-touted rookie quarterback heading into the 2026 campaign, via Warren.
“There’s always early work, late work, more meetings, plenty of time on the field between drills with Coach Sullivan and Coach Janocko,” Kubiak said. “Every player that is not starting the first game, they’re helping us on the look team. We’re just trying to find every edge we can find to continue to get him better and his teammates better.”
Although there’s bound to be some debate about this decision to go with Cousins over Mendoza, the Raiders don’t want to make the same mistake they made with former No. 1 overall pick JaMarcus Russell, who is arguably the biggest quarterback draft bust in NFL history.
Mendoza can now soak up the knowledge from Cousins before making his debut, but it’s safe to assume that the veteran could get pulled sooner rather than later if he can’t produce on the football field.
Fortunately for Las Vegas, the team is favored heading into their season opener against the rebuilding Dolphins, so it’s a good opportunity for the silver and black to get off to a strong start with Cousins under center before facing the division rival Los Angeles Chargers in Week 2 on the road at SoFi Stadium, which will likely be the first tough test of the season for the new-look Raiders.
Raiders Make Final Decision on QB Fernando Mendoza for Week 1