Kirk Cousins wished rookie Fernando Mendoza well his way out of Las Vegas and headed back to the Minnesota Vikings, where he will presumably start the rest of the way for the NFC North contender. One day later, the young Raiders QB had nothing but glowing comments to share on his first, and perhaps last, NFL mentor.
Mendoza expressed his thoughts on how much Cousins, his leadership and the veteran QB’s family meant to Mendoza over their time together in the desert.
“I really, truly, from the bottom of my heart wanted to thank Kirk and the entire Cousins family, whether it was Julie, Cooper or Turner. They have, as a family, done so much for me,” Mendoza said Wednesday, November 11. “They’ve essentially taken me in to their household when they were here, and they welcomed me with open arms.”
“I really, truly, from the bottom of my heart wanted to thank Kirk and the entire Cousins family, whether it was Julie, Cooper, or Turner. They’ve as a family, done so much for me. They’ve essentially taken me in to their household when they
“It would have been really easy for Kirk, being a veteran quarterback and already proved everything, to be a little bit more dismissive,” Mendoza continued. “But he had me with open arms and has taught me so many things, whether it was film study, how to operate as a starting quarterback, all the different multifaceted approaches that have made him so successful throughout his career. He has shared with no restrictions and no constraints. I really appreciate him and it was heartfelt to see him (go), as he was a great mentor.”
Kirk Cousins Will Take First Snaps With Vikings in 2026 Against Packers at Lambeau Field
Mendoza will step into his first-ever NFL start against the vaunted and defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks defense, which is about as difficult a way to begin a quarterbacking career in earnest as one can encounter.
But Cousins won’t have things a whole lot easier, as he returns to Minnesota just days before the Vikings travel to Lambeau Field for a showdown with the Green Bay Packers.
Cousins will revisit the site of his most recent snaps for Minnesota, which came back in October of 2023 before tearing his Achilles tendon in the middle of that contest.
Micah Parsons Unlikely to Play Against Vikings, Lukas Van Ness Dealing With Back Injury
The Packers probably won’t have superstar outside linebacker Micah Parsons back in the lineup on Sunday, as he is more likely to return against the Los Angeles Rams the following week for a pre-Thanksgiving game in L.A. on Wednesday, November 25.
Still, Green Bay’s pass rush has been solid this year even without Parsons, which will provide an extra challenge to Cousins as he attempts to re-acclimate himself with head coach Kevin O’Connell’s offense at warp speed to prepare for what should prove one of Minnesota’s most difficult challenges of the 2026 campaign.
Green Bay’s pressure rate is 22.8 percent through nine games, which places the team at just about the league average (17th out of 32). However, the Packers have tallied 26 sacks as a defensive unit, or essentially three per game, which ranks them in a tie for fourth league-wide with a handful of other teams.
One other hitch for Green Bay is that edge-rusher Lukas Van Ness, who has tallied career highs of 11 QB hits and 4.5 sacks already in just nine starts, appeared on the team’s official injury report with a back issue. Green Bay listed him as a DNP [did not participate] for Wednesday’s practice, which puts Van Ness at potential risk of missing the game against the Vikings on Sunday.
Mendoza Doesn’t Hold Back on Kirk Cousins After Vikings Trade