NFL · Thursday, September 3, 2026
Raiders name Kirk Cousins Week 1 starter; Mendoza listed as backup
The File desk · Sep 3, 2026, 1:30 PM UTC
Status
Confirmed from the Raiders’ Sept. 2 announcement. NFL.com’s news hub, checked the morning of Sept. 3, still led with the Cousins/Mendoza decision. No odds.
On Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026, Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak named Kirk Cousins the starting quarterback heading into Week 1, after a camp competition with Aidan O’Connell and No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza. Kubiak: “Kirk's had a really good offseason, very good camp and he's earned it.” Raiders.com notes Cousins’ two preseason appearances: 76.5% completions, 101 yards, one touchdown. NFL.com’s news hub, checked Sept. 3, still leads with the Cousins/Mendoza decision. Week 1 opener: Dolphins at Raiders is on the NFL Week 1 slate (Sunday, Sept. 13). No odds or picks.
Raiders.com, Sept. 2, 2026, 9:30 a.m.: “Kirk Cousins will be the Raiders' starting quarterback heading into Week 1 of the 2026 season.” The announcement came from head coach Klint Kubiak Wednesday morning after practice. The page says he had allowed a competition among Cousins, Aidan O’Connell, and No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza. Kubiak: “He played really good football. I'm really happy with all three of our quarterbacks. Kirk's had a really good offseason, very good camp and he's earned it.”
Raiders.com on the two preseason appearances: Cousins “completed 76.5 percent of his passes for 101 yards and a touchdown.”
NFL.com’s news hub, fetched the morning of Sept. 3, still led the stack with “Cousins named Raiders' QB 1 for opener vs. Dolphins instead of No. 1 pick Mendoza” / “Raiders to start Cousins Week 1; Mendoza to be backup.”
NFL.com’s schedules hub, fetched Sept. 3, lists Dolphins at Raiders, Sunday, September 13th, 4:25 PM, FOX. The same hub lists Week 1 national windows including Patriots at Seahawks, Wednesday, September 9th, 8:20 PM, NBC; 49ers at Rams, Thursday, September 10th, 8:35 PM, NETFLIX (International Game, Melbourne); Sunday Night Football, Cowboys at Giants, Sunday, September 13th, 8:20 PM, NBC; and Monday Night Football, Broncos at Chiefs, Monday, September 14th, 8:15 PM, ESPN. No odds. No picks. Contract-dollar figures from secondary reports are not used.
What is still unknown or disputed
- Exact depth-chart publication beyond the coach’s statement.
- Contract dollars from secondary reports are not used.
Primary sources
Every claim in this story is drawn from the documents below. If a fetch failed, that is recorded on the card.
Source 1
Kirk Cousins named Raiders' starting quarterback
Las Vegas Raiders (Raiders.com) · September 2, 2026
Kirk Cousins will be the Raiders' starting quarterback heading into Week 1 of the 2026 season. “Kirk's had a really good offseason, very good camp and he's earned it.” In his two preseason appearances for the Raiders, he completed 76.5 percent of his passes for 101 yards and a touchdown.
https://www.raiders.com/news/kirk-cousins-named-raiders-starting-quarterback
Source 2
NFL.com news hub
NFL · September 3, 2026
Cousins named Raiders' QB 1 for opener vs. Dolphins instead of No. 1 pick Mendoza / Raiders to start Cousins Week 1; Mendoza to be backup.
https://www.nfl.com/news
Source 3
NFL Schedules 2026 Week 1
NFL · September 3, 2026
Patriots at Seahawks, Wednesday, September 9th, 8:20 PM, NBC; 49ers at Rams, Thursday, September 10th, 8:35 PM, NETFLIX; Dolphins at Raiders, Sunday, September 13th, 4:25 PM, FOX; Sunday Night Football Cowboys at Giants, Sunday, September 13th, 8:20 PM, NBC; Monday Night Football Broncos at Chiefs, Monday, September 14th, 8:15 PM, ESPN.
https://www.nfl.com/schedules