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Klint Kubiak is Afraid to Name Anyone a Starter

Aug 13, 2026; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterbacks Fernando Mendoza (15) and Kirk Cousins (8) sit on the bench while watching the action on the field during the game against the Arizona Cardinals at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Brytus-Imagn Images

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Klint Kubiak is Afraid to Name Anyone a Starter

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Tyler Bischoff | Last updated Aug 29, 2026 10:30 AM ET

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The Raiders have had position battles throughout training camp. If it were up to Klint Kubiak, those battles would never end.

The Raiders’ new head coach refuses to say someone has won a starting job.

After Thursday’s preseason loss to the 49ers, Kubiak was asked if Cousins was going to be named the starting quarterback.

“I still don’t think we need to name anybody,” Kubiak said. “We have a lot to talk about at a lot of positions, so we want to watch the film and talk about everything as a staff.”

It is the same sentiment he echoed last week when presented with the same question. But regardless of what Kubiak says, it is clear Cousins is the starter.

Throughout training camp Cousins has taken snaps with the starting offense. Meanwhile, you can count on one hand the number of times Mendoza has been given a chance with the first-team offense.

In the second preseason game in Houston, the Raiders elected to rest their starters. Cousins was one of those. Mendoza started the game with the second-team offense.

Then in the final preseason game, Kubiak used his starting offense for the first two drives of the game. Cousins played those two drives, then gave way to Mendoza and the second teamers – four of the starting offensive linemen did play two snaps with Mendoza.

Even if Kubiak’s division of playing time didn’t make it clear, Mendoza has been a disaster in the last two preseason games. The rookie quarterback isn’t good enough to be pushing for a starting role.

Cousins has played three drives in the preseason and led the Raiders to 13 points. Mendoza has also led the Raiders to 13 preseason points, but he has done it on 14 drives.

After the game, Kubiak said he wished they had three preseason games to develop Mendoza. The young quarterback agreed.

Despite the overwhelming evidence that Kubiak has already made up his mind at quarterback, he still refuses to just say Cousins is the starter.

Beyond Quarterbacks

Kubiak has been afraid to answer any questions about starters throughout the preseason. Despite giving Jackson Powers-Johnson the first crack as the starter at right guard, he won’t declare him the main man over Caleb Rogers.

“I wouldn’t say that,” Kubiak said when asked if Powers-Johnson won the starting job. “We got more decisions to make and Jackson and Caleb have had a great battle. Both of those guys are going to play this year.”

This position battle is much closer than the quarterbacks. Rogers actually played with the starting offense on the second drive, and may have outperformed Powers-Johnson.

But in light of the quarterback conversation, it is clear that if Kubiak knew who his starting right guard would be, he wouldn’t say it.

The oddest response Kubiak has given during camp was about his rookie defensive back Treydan Stukes.

Stukes was a second-round pick in the most recent NFL Draft. The Raiders have moved him around between safety and slot corner in training camp. But in the last week, Stukes took over the first-team reps at free safety.

He has displaced Isaiah Pola-Mao in the starting lineup. Stukes even played every snap at free safety with the starting defense on Thursday.

The rookie’s emergence prompted a question earlier in the week about why Stukes has gotten more reps with the starters.

“He’s around the ball a lot,” Kubiak said.

Just a six-word answer about a player getting promoted to a starting role.

In the same press conference, Kubiak praised – with multiple sentences – players like backup tight end Ian Thomas, backup defensive end Malcolm Koonce and potential roster cut Patrick Johnson. But when asked about a possible starter, he nearly shut down.

Kubiak has tried to explain his reasoning for not naming starters.

“I just don’t think it ever benefits a player to know that they have a spot secured,” Kubiak said about his quarterbacks last week. “There’s always a little bit of uneasiness about that. That benefits the whole team, the player and the team.”

But everyone knows, even Cousins and Mendoza, who will start under center in Week 1.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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