Fernando Mendoza joins the rare group of No. 1 QBs who didn’t start in Week 1.
The Las Vegas Raiders announced veteran Kirk Cousins as their starting quarterback for Week 1 of the 2026 season, leaving rookie No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza on the bench. This marks a rare instance, as Mendoza becomes the first No. 1 overall pick since Baker Mayfield in 2018 to not start in Week 1. Out of the 20 quarterbacks selected first overall since 2000, only eight have started their rookie seasons on the bench. Historical examples include Mayfield, Jared Goff, and Eli Manning, who all began as backups before eventually finding success in the NFL.
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