Published
Jun 10, 2026 at 04:45 PM EDT
Was it ageist to assume that Kirk Cousins, 37, was brought to the Las Vegas Raiders for the sole purpose of mentoring Fernando Mendoza, 22?
Cousins’ latest comments makes you think.
According to ESPN’s Ryan McFadden, Cousins said he feels it’s “a bit of a reach” to call him Mendoza’s mentor.
“[It’s] more of a narrative than it is the truth,” Cousins said. “They’re pretty good players, pretty experienced, and I’m learning a lot from them, too, and asking questions to them. Nobody’s leading more than someone else. I think we’re all a working force together, helping each other, giving feedback, giving perspective [and] giving another set of eyes.”
The Raiders signed Cousins in early April, a few weeks after the Atlanta Falcons released the veteran quarterback. Then, the Raiders selected Mendoza, the Heisman-winning quarterback out of Indiana, with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on April 23.
The Raiders undoubtedly hope Mendoza is their quarterback for the next decade, but first-year head coach Klint Kubiak said in late March that a rookie quarterback would sit and learn behind “a mature adult,” a la Cousins, rather than start immediately “in a perfect world.”
Combine those Kubiak comments with the success Kubiak had as the Minnesota Vikings’ quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator with Cousins as his quarterback from 2019 to 2021, and it seems more likely than not that Cousins starts Week 1. How long Cousins could remain QB1 before the Raiders want to see what they have in Mendoza is another question.
The Raiders will open their 2026 season against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, Sept. 13.
