NEED TO KNOW
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Fernando Mendoza praised Kirk Cousins for mentoring him in his first NFL season
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The rookie quarterback was named the Raiders starter after the veteran QB was traded to the Minnesota Vikings
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The Raiders will play the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, Nov. 15
Fernando Mendoza is giving Kirk Cousins his flowers.
The rookie quarterback, 23, praised the veteran QB for mentoring him through his first year in the NFL before Cousins was traded to the Minnesota Vikings on Tuesday, Nov. 10.
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“I wanted to make a statement where I really, truly from the bottom of my heart wanted to thank Kirk and the entire Cousins family,” Mendoza said in a Raiders press conference after the trade, giving a shoutout to Cousins’ wife Julie and their two kids, sons Cooper and Turner.
“They as a family have done so much for me. They’ve essentially taken me into their household when they were here,” he continued, adding, “They’ve welcomed me with open arms.”
Fernando Mendoza #15 (left) and Kirk Cousins #8 on Sept. 13, 2026.
Credit: Christian Petersen/Getty
It’s been a whirlwind of the past few months for the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback, who secured the national championship victory with the Indiana Hoosiers in January and became the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft in April. He praised Kirk for his wisdom while transitioning into the league.
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“It would have been really easy for Kirk… being a veteran quarterback and kind of have already proved everything to be a little bit more dismissive, but he’s had me with open arms and has taught me so many things,” Mendoza said.
“Whether it was film study, how to operate as a starting quarterback, all the different multifaceted approaches that has made him so successful throughout his career, he’s shared with no restrictions and with no constraints,” he added. “So I really appreciate him… he was a great mentor.”
Fernando Mendoza #15 of the Las Vegas Raiders on Oct. 18, 2026.
Credit: Cooper Neill/Getty
Cousins spent approximately seven months with the Raiders, where he played nine regular season games as the starting quarterback before he was moved back to the Vikings, where he previously played from 2018 to 2023. Mendoza will now be the Raiders’ starting QB heading into Week 10.
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Mendoza played his first NFL snap on Oct. 11 during Week 5 of the regular season against the New England Patriots. He entered the game with six minutes and six seconds remaining in the fourth quarter of the 45-17 blowout loss.
Raiders general manager John Spytek named Mendoza the starting quarterback Wednesday morning after practice. He spoke highly of the rookie when speaking on how the decision was made, praising him for his hard work since making the professional transition.
Kirk Cousins of the Minnesota Vikings on Oct. 1, 2023.
Credit: John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty
“This is something that he’s worked very hard for since the moment he’s walked into this building,” Spytek said of Mendoza. “He passed every test. … He put us in a position where we had to make a very hard decision today with his growth as a person, as a teammate, as a leader, as a quarterback.”
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Raiders coach Klint Kubiak touted Mendoza’s readiness for the role, specifically citing his work ethic during practices.
“He’s prepared,” he said. “He practices extremely well and his work habits also allowed us to make this trade because we feel that he’s ready to go. And we’re excited for him to take the ball for the game here this Sunday.”
The Raiders will take on the defending Super Bowl champions, the Seattle Seahawks, on Sunday, Nov. 15.
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
