Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak has declined to name a starting quarterback following a preseason game against the Houston Texans. Kirk Cousins remains the presumed Week 1 starter as rookie Fernando Mendoza adjusts to the professional ranks ahead of the regular-season opener against the Dolphins on September 13, 2026.
Unresolved Quarterback Situation
Unresolved Quarterback Situation
The quarterback battle in Las Vegas remains officially unresolved. Following a preseason outing against the Texans where No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza struggled, head coach Klint Kubiak refused to name his Week 1 starter under center, noting that competition should remain active across the roster.
Kubiak was asked directly if Kirk Cousins would take the starting nod after sitting out the preseason game. Rather than confirming the veteran as the definitive starter, the first-time head coach emphasized continued evaluation.
“We’ve got another week of playing. I don’t want anyone to be comfortable in their job. It should always be that way for all positions. So, let’s keep going forward.”
Klint Kubiak, Head Coach, Las Vegas Raiders
Quarterback Hierarchy and Preseason Realities
Quarterback Hierarchy and Preseason Realities
Photo: Yahoo
Despite Kubiak holding off on an official announcement, all practical indicators point to Cousins starting under center for the Raiders when the team opens the regular season against the Miami Dolphins on September 13, 2026. Cousins spent training camp working extensively with the first-string offense, while Mendoza continued his development behind him as the organization’s long-term future. Kubiak previously called it Cousins’ job to lose, and Cousins has done nothing to lose the job, while Mendoza has done nothing to win it.
Mendoza’s preseason appearance offered a stark reminder of the developmental curve facing rookies. Assigned the start while veterans rested, Mendoza was in uniform and had a night to forget as he completed just eight of 15 passes for 86 yards at a 5.7 yard-per-attempt clip, throwing a pick-six on his opening series.
Mendoza has embraced his current arrangement behind Cousins and Aidan O’Connell, stating that he wants to learn from them and do whatever helps the team win.
From Instagram — related to klint kubiak name quarterback, Klint Kubiak Raiders
Beyond the quarterback room, Kubiak is attempting to reshape the locker room culture following a 3-14 finish in 2025 and a total of only seven wins across the previous two seasons. Entering as the franchise’s fourth full-time head coach since Jon Gruden’s resignation during the 2021 season—following brief tenures by Josh McDaniels, Antonio Pierce, and Pete Carroll—Kubiak delivered a blunt evaluation of his current roster during a media session at the Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters and Intermountain Health Performance Center in Henderson, Nevada.
“I think we just have a professional group of players. They care about getting better. We don’t have any turds—we’ve got guys that want to be here, that want to win, that want to change this place. So, I’m really happy with that.”
Photo: Fantasy Footballers Podcast
Klint Kubiak, Head Coach, Las Vegas Raiders
The remarks signal a departure from the franchise’s historical identity under Al Davis, which historically celebrated renegades, castoffs, and difficult personalities as long as they helped the team win. Kubiak prefers to establish standards through daily evaluation rather than inherited catchphrases.
“Words are really just—they’re just words. We watch our tape and we talk about what is acceptable and what is not. What effort looks like, what it doesn’t look like. And then we let the players go set that standard.”
Klint Kubiak, Head Coach, Las Vegas Raiders
Training Camp at the Intermountain Health Performance Center
That player-led approach is being tested by a roster blending established veterans with a new generation. Kirk Cousins begins camp as the starting quarterback alongside teammates like Ashton Jeanty and Shedrick Jackson, while Maxx Crosby remains the emotional center of the defense. Isaiah Pola-Mao and Maxx Crosby also anchor the team culture as Kubiak continues to evaluate his personnel during training camp at the Intermountain Health Performance Center. The final decision on the starting quarterback remains pending as the team moves through its final week of preparation before opening day.
Raiders HC Klint Kubiak Clarifies Exactly Who Their QB Will Be…
