Raiders new head coach Klint Kubiak names Kirk Cousins starting QB over No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza

Patrick Mahomes was cleared to fully participate in Kansas City Chiefs training camp. Danny Parkins, Eric Mangini, and Greg Jennings discuss the expectations for the Chiefs and Mahomes this season, and if Fernando Mendoza should start for the Las Vegas Raiders week 1.

It may have been his plan all along heading into his first year as the Las Vegas Raiders head coach, but Klint Kubiak confirmed who his starting quarterback will be to begin training camp this week.

It’s veteran Kirk Cousins – not Fernando Mendoza, the Raiders’ No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

"When we go out to practice tomorrow, Kirk Cousins in the starting quarterback. He’s the guy, and he’s going to get a ton of reps. He deserves them because he’s played really good football," Kubiak told the press, via NFL.com. "But I want Fernando and I want Aidan [O’Connell] to push him."

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Kirk Cousins of the Las Vegas Raiders practices during an OTA offseason workout at the Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters/Intermountain Health Performance Center on June 3, 2026, in Henderson, Nev. (Getty Images)

Fans and media weren’t waiting anxiously for Kubiak’s decision, as he’s been straightforward with his thoughts after taking over as head coach following a Super Bowl-winning season as the Seattle Seahawks’ offensive coordinator last year. But this solidifies the plan, at least to begin training camp.

While coaches can lead training camp with players in starting roles, nothing is final until players walk on the gridiron Week 1. And that’s exactly Kubiak’s thought process.

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"For every position, there’s gotta be competition, right?"