Raiders Coach Klint Kubiak Stands By Kirk Cousins Amid Losing Streak
Despite a four-game skid, coach Klint Kubiak confirmed Kirk Cousins will remain the Las Vegas Raiders' starting quarterback, while top draft pick Fernando Mendoza waits for his opportunity.
Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak has affirmed that Kirk Cousins will continue as the team's starting quarterback, despite a recent four-game losing streak that has raised questions about rookie Fernando Mendoza's readiness.
Cousins led the Raiders to a 3-0 start, their best since 2021, but the team has since lost four consecutive games, including a 35-21 defeat to the Los Angeles Rams. This downturn has fueled speculation about a potential quarterback change, with Mendoza, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, yet to play a regular-season snap.
However, Kubiak publicly backed Cousins on Monday. "He’s playing at a very high level, and he’s got to continue to do that for us to win," Kubiak told reporters, as reported by ESPN. "We got to keep helping all the surrounding areas. [I’m] excited for him to go play against the Jets."
The Raiders are set to face the 2-5 New York Jets on the road this Sunday, with Cousins at the helm.
While Kubiak had stated that "everything" would be evaluated after their latest loss, Cousins' statistical performance this season supports the decision to keep him starting. He leads the NFL with 16 passing touchdowns and ranks third in passing yards with 1,877 through seven games. Cousins has completed 62.6% of his passes, with five interceptions and 16 touchdowns, resulting in a quarterback rating of 97.4.
Regarding Mendoza, Kubiak indicated that the rookie quarterback will "play football" at some point but emphasized the current priority. "Kirk is playing really well, and we’re in the hunt," Kubiak said. "It’s really important that we keep playing really well behind him and keep developing Fernando."
This approach aligns with Kubiak's initial plan to have Cousins operate the offense efficiently while Mendoza develops. Despite the recent struggles, Kubiak expressed confidence that Cousins and the team can recover against the Jets, who have also had a difficult season.
"Fernando is going to play at some point. It’s not going to be this week," Kubiak reiterated. The team's performance against the Jets could, however, reignite the conversation about Mendoza's debut if the losing streak continues.