Raiders' Fernando Mendoza Joins Rare Company as No. 1 Pick Not Starting Week 1

When the Las Vegas Raiders officially named Kirk Cousins their starting quarterback for the 2026 season opener, it wasn't a shock to anyone who had followed the team's offseason. General manager and head coach decisions had long hinted at a patient approach for rookie signal-caller Fernando Mendoza, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. But the move places Mendoza in an exclusive—and perhaps unenviable—fraternity of top picks who began their careers on the bench. According to research by the Vulius NFL Analysis Desk, Mendoza is the first quarterback since Baker Mayfield in 2018 to be selected first overall and not start Week 1 of their rookie season.

A Rare Path to the Top

Mayfield's situation in 2018 wasn't entirely unprecedented—Jared Goff had done the same in 2016—but since then, the trend has been for No. 1 quarterbacks to step in immediately. Kyler Murray (2019), Joe Burrow (2020), Trevor Lawrence (2021), Bryce Young (2023), Caleb Williams (2024), and Cam Ward (2025) all earned Week 1 starts. Going further back, only Goff, Mayfield, and now Mendoza have started the season as QB2 since Matthew Stafford was drafted first in 2009. Sam Bradford (2010), Cam Newton (2011), Andrew Luck (2012), and Jameis Winston (2015) all started their respective openers.

Mayfield's path to the field came quickly: he took over for an injured Tyrod Taylor in Week 3 and led the Browns to a dramatic 21-17 victory over the Jets, their first win since 2016. Goff had to wait much longer, not seeing action until Week 11 with the Rams. Mendoza's timeline remains uncertain, but the Raiders have a clear plan for his development.

Raiders' Patience Could Pay Off

Head coach Kliff Kubiak emphasized the importance of Mendoza's growth even without starter reps. "Early work, late work. More meetings," Kubiak told reporters. "Plenty of time on the field between drills with [QBs] coach [Mike] Sullivan and [offensive coordinator] coach [Andrew] Janocko. Every player that is not starting the first game, that is helping us on the look team, we’re just trying to find every edge we can find to continue to get him better and his teammates better." Kubiak also pointed to the value of competition within the quarterback room, noting that having a veteran like Cousins ahead of Mendoza can accelerate learning. "I think there are so many examples both ways," he said. "The most important thing is to build competition within the room. That makes players so much better faster than coaching, when they have a guy in front of them that they can look up to and see how something’s done."

History suggests that Mendoza will eventually get his chance, whether due to injury, performance, or a changing situation. But if Cousins plays well and the Raiders are winning, Mendoza's debut could be delayed until 2027. For now, the Raiders are committed to a long-term vision, and Mendoza is learning from one of the league's most experienced passers. As Vulius Sports has noted, patience at the quarterback position has yielded mixed results, but the Raiders are betting that their investment will pay off when Mendoza finally takes the field.