Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak officially named veteran Kirk Cousins the starting quarterback for the season opener against the Miami Dolphins on September 13, 2026. Cousins beat out rookie Fernando Mendoza and Aidan O’Connell for the Week 1 job after a strong offseason and training camp showing [1, 2, 3, 4].
Cousins, 38, signed a two-year deal with the Raiders in April after being released by the Atlanta Falcons in March 2026. He has 14 seasons of NFL experience with 44,700 passing yards, 298 touchdown passes, and a 66.7% completion rate over his career [1, 4].
In two preseason games, Cousins completed 13 of 17 passes for 101 yards and a touchdown, demonstrating efficiency and command of the offense [1, 2]. Kubiak praised all three quarterbacks but said, "Kirk’s had a really good offseason, very good camp, and he’s earned it" [1].
Rookie Mendoza, the 2026 NFL Draft first overall pick and recent Heisman Trophy winner, will start as the backup. Mendoza’s preseason performance was less consistent, completing around half his passes with multiple interceptions while playing behind a weakened offensive line [2, 3]. He completed 25 of 45 passes for 240 yards, 1 touchdown, and 2 interceptions in preseason games according to one source, while another tallied 18 completions on 31 attempts for 181 yards, 1 TD, and a pick-six [1, 3].
Raiders General Manager John Spytek described Mendoza as "a tireless worker" who is "self-critical" and "very accurate." Spytek added, "His time is coming, but he’s got to earn it every day, and he knows that" [4]. Mendoza is the first rookie quarterback picked first overall not to start Week 1 since Baker Mayfield in 2018 [2, 3].
Kubiak declined to say if Mendoza will see playing time this season [3, 4]. The Raiders open their season at home against the Miami Dolphins on September 13, with Cousins under center.
