Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak says Kirk Cousins will remain the team’s starting quarterback despite a four-game losing streak that has followed a promising 3-0 start to the season.
The Raiders opened 2026 with their best start since 2021 under Kubiak’s new regime, but have since dropped four straight, most recently a 35-21 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. The skid renewed questions about whether Kubiak might turn to Fernando Mendoza, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, who has yet to play a snap as a rookie.
Kubiak put that speculation to rest on Monday.
“[Cousins is] playing at a very high level, and he’s got to continue to do that for us to win,” Kubiak told reporters, according to ESPN. “We got to keep helping all the surrounding areas. [I’m] excited for him to go play against the Jets.”
Cousins will start this Sunday on the road against the 2-5 New York Jets.
Kubiak had previously left the door open to a broader evaluation of the roster after a loss, but the statistics support his decision to stick with Cousins. The veteran quarterback leads the NFL in passing touchdowns this season with 16, ranks third in passing yards with 1,877, and has completed 62.6% of his passes. He has thrown only five interceptions against those 16 touchdowns and holds a 97.4 quarterback rating through seven games.
Kubiak said Mendoza, out of Miami, will eventually get on the field, but made clear that time has not yet arrived.
“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.”
The approach reflects Kubiak’s original plan for the season: let Cousins run the offense while Mendoza develops behind him. The Jets, who gave the Miami Dolphins their first win of the season in Week 7, represent a chance for the Raiders to right the ship.
“Fernando is going to play at some point. It’s not going to be this week,” Kubiak said.
Should Las Vegas fall to New York on Sunday, the question of a quarterback change may resurface.
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