Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak confirmed veteran Kirk Cousins remains the starting quarterback despite rookie Fernando Mendoza making his NFL preseason debut.
The update followed the Raiders' 27-14 loss to the Arizona Cardinals in their exhibition opener, where Cousins started before giving way to Mendoza.
Mendoza, the 22-year-old quarterback selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft, made his first appearance in a Las Vegas uniform. The former Indiana standout completed 10 of 16 passes for 97 yards and threw his first career touchdown pass to fellow rookie Jack Bech.
Before Mendoza entered the game, Cousins led the starting unit, going 5-for-6 passing for 50 yards and a touchdown.
Quarterback Competition and Contract Status
Despite fan excitement surrounding Mendoza after his final college season, Kubiak maintained a patient approach with the rookie.
Prior to drafting Mendoza, the Raiders signed Cousins to a five-year, $172 million contract. The deal is structured as a one-year, fully guaranteed $20 million contract with team options for future seasons.
Kubiak reaffirmed after the game that Cousins entered training camp as the starter and nothing has altered that position.
"Kirk's been getting the reps with the ones. I think he's had a solid training camp and it's his job to lose," Kubiak said.
Evaluating Mendoza's performance, Kubiak highlighted the young quarterback's execution and progress.
"He led a good scoring drive," Kubiak said. "As far as getting and out of the huddle, commanding the group, getting the play calls down, I saw the same guy I see in practice. I saw an ascending player who's got to keep getting better."
Cousins also praised Mendoza's initial outing on the field.
"He did a great job," Cousins said. "He moved the football, he scored points, gave us a chance to score points and operated well."
Mendoza Critical of Preseason Debut
In contrast to his head coach's positive review, Mendoza offered a self-critical assessment of his performance.
"Unfortunately, I let my teammates down today," Mendoza said. "But it's a growing experience. I feel like we're all growing and it helped me show that I need to grow a lot."
The rookie added that he planned to review the game footage immediately: "I'm definitely [watching the game film] after this. I have nothing else to do tonight."
Tom Brady's Presence and Mentorship
Watching closely from the sidelines was Raiders minority owner Tom Brady, who was filmed before kickoff. Brady played a key role in the franchise's decision to select the Heisman Trophy winner first overall.
Brady had previously lauded Mendoza's leadership qualities following his college success at Indiana.
"I love everything about his game. His leadership is what stands out. His relatability to his teammates. He's overcome a lot of things in his career," Brady said during an appearance on Fox. "He's a Miami kid, went to Cal to Indiana, and then went to a program that hasn't won anything in forever. What he's done this season is so impressive."
Mendoza spoke last month about the guidance he has received from Brady since joining Las Vegas.
"Tom's given me a lot of advice, and I like to sometimes keep it close to the vest. However, the one thing that he always says is that, hey, you're in your early 20s and making sure you do everything possible to be successful and, and to best serve your teammates and not let your teammates down," Mendoza told People.
Mendoza noted that Brady emphasized keeping focus on team success: "Making sure you're making all those decisions to the North Star and to best serve your teammates and to become the best quarterback you can become in order to help the team."
