Despite veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins outperforming rookie Fernando Mendoza throughout the preseason, Las Vegas Raiders coach Klint Kubiak has yet to name a starting quarterback for the upcoming regular season. Kubiak stated that he does not believe a starter needs to be named at this time, even as the team prepares to open its season against the Miami Dolphins on September 13, 2025.
"I still don’t think we need to name anybody," Kubiak told reporters following the Raiders' preseason loss to the San Francisco 49ers. He indicated that Mendoza would likely take backup repetitions once regular-season practices commence, suggesting the rookie could benefit from additional preseason experience. "He needs another three preseason games, all those rookies do," Kubiak said of Mendoza. "And now that the season is starting, the practice reps get smaller and that's just life. But us, as coaches, we got to keep getting him ready to play, keep developing him."
Cousins concluded the preseason with a strong performance, completing 13 of 17 passes for 101 yards and one touchdown. His passer rating of 110.2 was the best among Raiders quarterbacks with at least 17 attempts since 2017. Mendoza, meanwhile, completed 5 of 9 attempts in his most recent preseason outing and had thrown interceptions in consecutive games.
"Kirk looks great, he looks ruthlessly efficient," Mendoza commented on Cousins' performance. Kubiak's comments about Mendoza's need for more development and his anticipated role in practice suggest a leaning towards Cousins as the starter, a move that appears evident based on preseason statistics and personnel distribution in practice.
Historically, once regular-season practices begin, teams allocate the majority of repetitions to their established starting quarterback to ensure adequate preparation for competitive games, with backups receiving limited work. Kubiak's own assessment suggests Mendoza falls into the latter category.