The Raiders have made the move that flips the page to Fernando Mendoza.
After drafting the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback last year with the top pick, Las Vegas had already brought in Kirk Cousins in the offseason, which made the plan pretty clear: Cousins would open the year as the starter while Mendoza waited for his turn. That turn arrives in Week 10, with the Raiders trading Cousins to the Vikings for a third-round pick.
Mendoza’s first run as the Raiders’ starting quarterback won’t come with any easing-in period. His first start comes against the Seahawks, a defense that already made Patrick Mahomes look as bad as he’s ever looked. The week after that, he’ll run into the Broncos, another tough test even if their defense hasn’t been as stout this year as it was last season.
So far, Mendoza has only seen limited action. He entered in Week 5 when the Raiders were getting blown out by the Patriots and finished 6-of-8 for 48 yards in the loss.
Kansas City didn’t get a shot at him in the first meeting between the Chiefs and Raiders because Las Vegas was 3-0 and Cousins was playing well. But if Mendoza stays healthy, the Chiefs should see him in Week 18 when the Raiders come to Arrowhead.
That game could matter in a big way, whether Kansas City is still fighting for the AFC West or chasing a top seed in the AFC. Either way, Mendoza could be the one trying to spoil things in the final game of the 2026 regular season.
For Chiefs fans, the hope is simple: Mendoza doesn’t turn into the guy who helps make the Raiders dangerous. He may seem like a nice enough guy, but he plays for the Raiders, and that’s enough to make him a problem in this division. If he struggles as a rookie, that’s the preferred outcome in Kansas City.
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Mahomes And Kelce Just Added To Their Chiefs Legacy
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What makes this latest milestone stand out is how long the connection has lasted and how little it has faded. Mahomes and Kelce are into their ninth season together, and the chemistry between them has become such a fixture in Kansas City that it now sits alongside the leagues all-time marks for a quarterback-tight end tandem, a reminder that their story is still being written even as the records keep falling. [Read more 🡒]