The Raiders officially named Kirk Cousins their starting quarterback to open the 2026 season. That means No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza is on the sidelines for Week 1, immediately slotting him into a super rare group of signal-callers from recent years. This isn’t a surprise to some, given what the team brass said publicly, but it still feels wild for a guy picked first overall. The front office made it clear their preference was for a rookie quarterback to sit and learn behind a veteran, and now it’s official.
This Is How Rare It Really Is
Think about it: Mendoza is the first quarterback since Baker Mayfield in 2018 not to start Week 1 after being selected at No. 1 overall. Mayfield’s situation wasn’t super unusual back then, Jared Goff went through the exact same thing in 2016. But since then? It’s been a non-stop parade of top picks hitting the field right away. Kyler Murray (2019), Joe Burrow (2020), Trevor Lawrence (2021), Bryce Young (2023), Caleb Williams (2024), and Cam Ward (2025) all lined up as their club’s Week 1 starter. This isn’t the norm. Since Matthew Stafford got picked first overall in 2009, only Goff, Mayfield, and now Mendoza have started the season as QB2. Every other No. 1 overall pick, like Sam Bradford (2010), Cam Newton (2011), Andrew Luck (2012), and Jameis Winston (2015), started the season opener. Mendoza is truly in rare company.
The Long Game For Mendoza
So, what’s the plan for Mendoza? His development is still a massive priority for the Raiders, even if he isn’t getting those starter reps in the regular season. Coach Kubiak spilled the beans on Wednesday, talking about “Early work, late work. More meetings.” He added there’ll be “Plenty of time on the field between drills with [QBs] coach [Mike] Sullivan and [offensive coordinator] coach [Andrew] Janocko.” The team is trying to find every single edge they can to get him and his teammates better. Kubiak sees value in the competition, saying, “I think the most important thing with the quarterback room or any other position is to build competition within the room. That makes players so much better faster than coaching, when they have a guy in front of them that they can look up to and see how something’s done , that’s going to accelerate their growth.” It’s a patient approach for a No. 1 pick.
Remember Baker Mayfield? He was in a game by Week 3, taking over for an injured Tyrod Taylor and leading the Browns to a 21-17 victory over the Jets for their first win since 2016. He was the starter the very next week. Goff’s journey was longer, not starting for the Rams until Week 11 in 2016, in a 14-10 loss to Miami. The big question is when Mendoza becomes Las Vegas’s starter. If Cousins plays well and the Raiders stack wins, we might not see Mendoza under center until 2027. But history has a funny way of pushing these top rookies onto the field sooner rather than later. Keep your eyes peeled, because this kid’s time is coming.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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