The Las Vegas Raiders named veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins as their Week 1 starter on Wednesday, meaning that 2026 first-overall NFL Draft pick Fernando Mendoza will be on the sideline to start the year.
Why did the Raiders go with Cousins over Mendoza to start the year?
Well, Raiders coach Klint Kubiak said that Cousins "earned" the job, which hypothetically makes sense given his expansive experience in the NFL as a starter. He was always going to have a leg up in that regard.
Mendoza played in the preseason, throwing for 143 yards and two interceptions in an up-and-down showing. That might be a part of why Mendoza isn't starting; he didn't quite flash a readiness for NFL play that Cousins has built in through his years of starting reps.
However,
the team is probably just trying to let Mendoza develop as much as possible until his day comes to start permanently for Las Vegas. Depending on how Cousins plays, that could come later in the fall or in 2027.
Klint Kubiak has now officially named Kirk Cousins as the Raiders’ starting QB.
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) September 2, 2026
“Kirk’s had a very good offseason, a really good camp and he’s earned it.” https://t.co/FFNmWtHFEY
It's atypical for today's NFL for a top NFL Draft pick to sit for his rookie season, but the Raiders clearly have a plan in place for Mendoza to sit and grow at first. We'll see how that plan goes depending on how Cousins plays.
When do the Raiders start the season?
Sunday, Sept. 13, at home against the Miami Dolphins on Fox.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Why isn't Fernando Mendoza starting for the Raiders?
