Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza left a largely positive impression after making his first preseason start last week. But despite that encouraging debut, Raiders veteran Kirk Cousins is in no rush to hand over the starting role to the rookie.
And when it comes to Cousins’ school of thought, “President of Raider Nation” Ice Cube also believes throwing Mendoza into the deep end too quickly could backfire in the long term.
Ice Cube Gives His Honest Take on Raiders’ Fernando Mendoza Vs. Kirk Cousins Question
First-year Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak has made it clear that the starting quarterback job remains Kirk Cousins’ “to lose” after Mendoza delivered a solid preseason debut in the Raiders’ 27-14 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.
On Fox Sports Radio, Ice Cube said he also believes Cousins should remain the starter ahead of Mendoza since Cousins’ experience could be especially valuable with a new coaching regime taking over in Las Vegas.
“He looked great in his first preseason game,” Ice Cube said. “Poise, quick with the ball, quick decisions. I still think Kirk Cousins should start. When you got a vet like Kirk, you got a new regime coming in. Why start everything like that? I think let the kid get comfortable, let the kid get anxious.”
🎙️ “I’m not the coaching staff. I’m just the president of the Raider Nation.”@icecube wants Kirk Cousins starting over Fernando Mendoza, and he’s not texting anybody about it. 🏴☠️@CovinoAndRich on @foxsportsradio in for @dpshow. Full interview on YouTube!@fernandomendoza… pic.twitter.com/fgiGGJ75mT
— FOX Sports Radio (@FoxSportsRadio) August 19, 2026
However, Ice Cube also acknowledged that the final decision does not belong to him and that Kubiak and his coaching staff will ultimately determine who leads the Raiders.
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“I’m not the coaching staff. I’m just the president of the Raider Nation,” he continued.
Mendoza has officially been listed as QB2 on the team’s depth chart, placing him comfortably ahead of Aidan O’Connell. Still, the competition is far from over. Kubiak has already made it clear that Mendoza, along with expected third-string quarterback Aidan O’Connell, has been pushing Cousins.
Las Vegas selected Mendoza after he helped the Indiana Hoosiers win the national championship while also capturing the Heisman Trophy. Mendoza, who finished as the No. 2 signal-caller in PFN CFB QB Impact, finished his preseason outing against Arizona by completing 10 of 16 pass attempts for 97 yards and a touchdown.
Mendoza’s performance immediately fueled speculation about whether the rookie could potentially start the Raiders’ Week 1 matchup against the Miami Dolphins on Sept. 13.
However, the Raiders intend to give Mendoza enough time to absorb the playbook, become comfortable with the offense, and master his under-center mechanics rather than rushing him into regular-season action.
With Cousins, Kubiak has a proven veteran starter who already understands his system, while Mendoza can develop in a structured environment until the coaching staff believes he is fully prepared.
Cousins himself understands that Mendoza could eventually become the face of the Raiders, and he appears ready to give the rookie the necessary time to develop before passing the torch.
