The news wasn’t surprising, but Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak announced that Kirk Cousins will start at quarterback over No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza. Many are disappointed that they’re going to have to wait to see Mendoza play, but Cousins starting in the final preseason game was a good sign that he was going to get the nod in Week 1.
Minority owner Tom Brady has been lurking in the shadows all offseason, but his presence has been felt. His status as the greatest quarterback of all time makes him a valuable asset when evaluating the position. Notably, Brady did not start as a rookie, so he may have pushed for the team not to rush Mendoza onto the field.
According to ESPN’s Peter Schrager, that’s exactly the case.
“As long as Tom Brady was a part of this, and I’m told this year he has been very vocal and has been a part of it, they weren’t going to rush their first overall pick just to sell some extra tickets or to sell a jersey. They were going to make sure that he’s ready to go,” Schrager said on the “Pat McAfee Show.”
Kubiak Talks Brady’s Involvement
Brady has seven Super Bowl rings, so he knows a thing or two about winning football games. Kubiak has been sure to utilize Brady as a resource since joining the team.
“We lean on him for a lot of things,” Kubiak told reporters. “Talk to him multiple times a week and he’s been extremely helpful for roster building, for schematics, for team building. You name it, he’s been helpful with it. He’s been an extremely impressive resource.”
Raiders Were Always Planning to Start Cousins
Throughout the offseason, the Raiders had said that there was a competition for the starting quarterback job between Mendoza and Cousins. However, the decision may have been made to start Cousins before they actually drafted Mendoza or signed the veteran, according to ESPN’s Dan Graziano.
“They have been telling people since the combine that they don’t want to play Mendoza right away,” Graziano wrote. “Team executive and part owner Tom Brady has an influential voice in the building and has argued strongly that young quarterbacks are better off when they can sit and learn behind a veteran rather than being thrust into a starter’s role right away.
“The Raiders want to make sure they don’t play Mendoza until he’s ready — and until they’re ready for him. They have issues to sort out on their offensive line and in their unproven wide receiver corps, and while they work through those questions, they believe the veteran Cousins is better suited to solve problems that might arise as a result. Las Vegas loves Mendoza and everything he has been since he got there, but the team wants him to be able to work on the parts of his game that need improving and for him to do it without feeling any pressure to rush.”
The Raiders can’t afford to mess up Mendoza’s development, so it’s easy to understand why they’re playing it safe.
Tom Brady’s Role in Raiders QB Decision Revealed: Report