Raiders Seeing Early Kirk Cousins Impact on Fernando Mendoza

In that same interview mentioned above, Kubiak all but telegraphed his interest in Kirk Cousins when he said of adding the veteran and his friend to the roster, "I've said we'd love to have a guy like that, a veteran presence in the room.”

The Raiders did add Cousins, and the benefits are already paying off as the team turns the page on their 2025 collapse.

I have known Cousins for 23 years, and even as a true freshman at Michigan State, not playing, he impacted his team and took the commanding leadership role.  A relationship builder is who he is, even more than a quarterback.

I asked him about that role on this team, “You have to really find a way to kind of pull together quickly. And so, it's even more challenging as a leader, as a relationship builder, to do that on a shortened amount of time and in a short window, but that's the goal and the challenge, and I think we play better and we're more likely to win if we are playing together and we do know each other well."

"So that's something that OTAs is about, is getting around each other. Certainly, the X's and O's and the body work are important, but I think the relationship building is right up there as one of the pillars of why we want to be here and getting the work in."

Cousins has already done a terrific job of that. He has taken Mendoza under his wing, and the incredible Raider Nation fan base will see dividends on this for years to come.

Fernando Mendoza

The thing that has stood out early in his tenure in Las Vegas with the rookie, National Champion, and Heisman Trophy winner is that he is egoless.

Mendoza works hard, takes corrections, and is like a sponge with Cousins, who is teaching him more than just playing on the field with his example.

Mendoza said of Cousins after a recent practice, “I think it's going to be very beneficial hearing him talk, observe, and just being around him, trying to get some osmosis from him.”

Reality

All of those sentiments are great in a perfect world, but we don’t live in one. We live in the real world.

In the world of the hyper-competitive, fast-paced professional sports, and when a veteran is competing with an already adored, first-overall NFL Draft pick, the mentoring and the compliments can get thrown aside easily.

Conversely, the young up-and-coming star can see the veteran as an impediment, more than a blessing.

But this is the real world, and it is a world with two men, strong in talent, faith, and commitment to playing the game the right way.

Kirk Cousins and Fernando Mendoza have mocked themselves brilliantly in an NFL Schedule release video, playing a parody of the classic Will Ferrell movie “Step Brothers,” and have openly been each other's biggest fans.

Even out and about in Las Vegas, such as last night’s Vegas Golden Knights NHL Playoff game, showing up with several offensive linemen together, cheering on the home team, and building the chemistry it takes for a team to win over the long haul.

Kubiak has been pleased with both of his guys. He said of Mendoza, “As advertised. He has not disappointed. He's working his tail off. It's very important to him. Asks a lot of great questions when he gets on the field. He's no BS. He's all ball.”

He raved about Cousins, “He's a professional. He's played a lot of football. He's a leader that we're counting on right now. You see that side of him when it gets competitive, that was fun to get that move the ball period and get guys off of scripts and see how they respond, and you see the fire come out, and that's what I want from our guys."

And of them both, he bragged, “Two really competitive guys, been really pleased with their work ethic.“

The Bottom Line

Kirk Cousins has come in and shown why he earned the nickname, “Captain Kirk,” many years ago.  As competitive as anyone, the pride of Holland Christian High School has made it evident he intends to play, while at the same time being a terrific teammate, offering tutelage to the next generation that will take his job.

For Mendoza, his humility and work ethic are already earning praise from teammates.

Kirk Cousins is best at revealing Mendoza's character, and together they are projecting a bright future for a franchise that once lived in the spotlight.

Finally, for all the right reasons, the Raiders are back in the spotlight with their old identity, with Cousins and Mendoza being the perfect centerpieces.

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