The Las Vegas Raiders have opened the 2026 NFL season with a 3-0 record, matching their entire win total from a 3-14 campaign in 2025.
Veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins has been central to the turnaround, while rookie Fernando Mendoza, the first overall pick, carries significance beyond the field.
Cousins Fuels Unexpected Winning Start
Cousins, 38, joined the Raiders from Atlanta, where injuries and inconsistent play had raised doubts about his future as a starter.
Through the first three games, he threw a league-high nine touchdown passes, according to Yahoo Sports.
In Week 2 against the Chargers, Cousins completed 19 of 29 passes for 253 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.
Head coach Klint Kubiak has installed an offense that emphasizes play-action passes, quick decisions and efficient distribution of the ball.
Cousins' previous experience with Kubiak in Minnesota has helped him adapt, with tight end Brock Bowers featuring prominently in the approach.
The Raiders then lost 30-27 to Kansas City in a game described by Yahoo Sports as dramatic.
Cousins threw a late touchdown and completed a two-point conversion before an interception ended Las Vegas' final drive.
The strong start has reduced immediate pressure to start Mendoza, allowing the rookie to develop while Cousins provides experience and leadership.
Mendoza's Milestone and Latino Legacy
The Raiders selected Mendoza first overall in the 2026 NFL Draft, making him the first Cuban quarterback chosen with the top pick.
A team feature published October 7 placed his achievement within the franchise's longer history of Latino players and community connections.
All four of Mendoza's grandparents were born in Cuba, with three from Havana and one from Santiago de Cuba.
They immigrated to the United States, and Mendoza later visited Santiago with his grandfather to see part of his family's homeland.
Mendoza said his background shapes how he understands his place in professional football.
"I think representation means everything because representation is representing your family, your culture and where you come from," Mendoza said.
"The roots that you've laid down or your family's laid down that has inspired and allowed you to get to this point."
His visit to Cuba also deepened his understanding of his family's history and the culture he represents.
"To actually be able to go there, experience it, it really gave me a broader perspective of where I came from and the culture that I represent," Mendoza said.
The Raiders' official feature described how the careers of Tom Flores and Jim Plunkett helped establish an important connection between the franchise and Latino communities.
Flores played quarterback for the Raiders before becoming their head coach, while Plunkett, whose parents were Mexican American, led the franchise to two Super Bowl championships.
Mendoza recalled searching for Cuban quarterbacks when he was younger and discovering Latino figures in the Raiders' history.
"I remember from a young age searching up on Google if there had ever been any Cuban quarterbacks," Mendoza said.
"I remember I saw, I believe it was like one or two, but at that point when I saw that there was overall Latino quarterbacks with Jim Plunkett, Tom Flores, I was like, 'OK, this is possible.'"
He said he hopes his career encourages young Latino athletes who may doubt whether they can play quarterback in the NFL.
"I just hope it inspires, and no matter how the journey looks right now or whatever any critic or analyst might tell you, that it is possible to be Latino and play quarterback in the National Football League," Mendoza said.
Barbara Estrada, the Raiders' 2025 International Fan of the Year from Mexico, said Mendoza's arrival renewed the connection many Latino supporters feel toward the franchise.
"The Raiders have always been very inclusive and have always had their arms open, especially to Latinos," Estrada said.
She described Mendoza's place in the franchise as a continuation of the legacy established by Flores and Plunkett.
"After Jim Plunkett, after Tom Flores, having Fernando Mendoza as part of the Raiders, this reignites that flame for the Latino fan," Estrada said.
Estrada said the connection extends beyond nationality to a broader sense of shared identity among Latino supporters.
"It doesn't matter if he's Cuban, it doesn't matter if he's from some other nationality. Just the fact that he's Latino, you feel that special connection," Estrada said.
Former Raiders punter Leo Araguz also emphasized the importance of seeing another Latino athlete represent the franchise.
"It's an honor seeing another Latino doing what I did and then also playing for the team that I represent so much, the Raiders," Araguz said.
Araguz pointed to growing recognition of Latino players across professional football.
"Little by little, they're realizing that Latinos can play," Araguz said.
Mendoza described his opportunity to follow Flores and Plunkett as a continuation of the franchise's history.
"It means a lot to continue the lineage, and not only continue a lineage, but a great lineage," Mendoza said.
