Many experts thought 2025 Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza would win the starting quarterback job with the formerly downtrodden Las Vegas Raiders to begin the season.
But new coach Klint Kubiak entrusted veteran Kirk Cousins with the job, and the 38-year-old has delivered. He led the Raiders to a 3-0 start and threw for 365 yards in last week’s loss at Kansas City.
Cousins (19 of 28, 243 yards, one touchdown, 106.7 passer rating) was not the reason the revitalized New England Patriots dominated on both sides of the ball Sunday and won 45-17 on their home field.
With the game out of reach, Kubiak inserted Mendoza, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 draft, to make his NFL debut with 6:06 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Mendoza led one drive that covered 54 yards but ended when the rookie gained just three yards on a scramble on fourth-and-4 from the Patriots’ 14-yard line. He completed 6 of 8 passes for 48 yards and was grateful for the opportunity to play.
“It’s a good experience,” Mendoza said. “Every rookie has it at some point, so it was just that time. I was really proud of how the offense rallied even late in the game, and with undeniable effort there at the end.”
Mendoza’s longest completion was a 16-yard pass to Tre Tucker on a comeback route.
“He did a good job,” Kubiak said of Mendoza’s brief appearance.
Kubiak, however, remains committed to Cousins, especially with playoff contenders Buffalo and the Los Angeles Rams on the schedule over the next two weeks
“I’m (going to) keep on controlling the controllables,” Mendoza said. “But it is good to have some regular-season snaps to go off, evaluate and get better from. So, if in the future I am called upon, I at least have a little experience rather than none.”
