The Las Vegas Raiders’ quarterback room has developed an interesting mix of experience and youth. Veteran Kirk Cousins brings 14 seasons of NFL knowledge, while No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza is learning what life looks like at the professional level.
Their connection, however, is not limited to playbooks, film study, and practice reps. Mendoza recently shared a funny story that showed just how comfortable the two quarterbacks have become.
Fernando Mendoza Reveals Kirk Cousins’ ‘Father-and-Sons’ Side
Mendoza opened up about his relationship with Cousins during both players’ appearances on “Bussin’ With The Boys.”
The rookie recalled a summer outing where Cousins invited the younger quarterbacks to dinner before taking them to a movie, creating a night that Mendoza jokingly compared to a family gathering.
“Back in summer. Kirk took us out to dinner and took us to a movie. It was like, Father and sons kind of deal, you know. Classic dad movie. World War II,” Mendoza said.
The choice of movie became part of the fun. Cousins remembered Mendoza questioning the decision when they left the theater and asked him to tell the story himself.
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Cousins said, “When we got in the car, we were walking out of the theater. Tell them what you said about the movie when we left. You [Mendoza] were like, ‘I’m not going to lie, the first five minutes, I was like, man, what movie did this guy take us to?’ And then it got to the end. He was like, ‘That was pretty good, Kirk.’ And then he always pats me on the shoulder and goes like this [pats].”
The conversation then shifted to the small detail that has become part of their relationship. Mendoza regularly pats Cousins’ shoulder, and soon the rookie was prompted to jokingly describe the gesture.
“You know, some like physical good touch,” Mendoza said.
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Cousins then recalled a more recent moment that caught him off guard.
“Did you see him pat me on the shoulder yesterday? He patted me somewhere. We were –he patted me on the back, and I was like, looking around like, who just touched me?” Cousins said.
Cousins has previously worked with Raiders coach Klint Kubiak in Minnesota, giving him firsthand experience with the offensive system Mendoza is learning.
This experience has made Cousins a useful resource for the rookie as he works through formations, coverages, and other details.
For now, Cousins remains positioned to open the season as Las Vegas’ starter, a team that ranked second-to-last in 2025’s PFN NFL Offense Impact Metric. Mendoza, meanwhile, continues to make progress after completing 10 of 16 passes for 97 yards and a touchdown in his preseason debut against the Arizona Cardinals.
