Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak said a rookie quarterback would ideally sit behind a veteran to learn before starting games. "Ideally, you don't want him to start from Day 1. You'd love him to be able to learn behind somebody," Kubiak told reporters at his introductory news conference on Feb. 10, 2026, at the Intermountain Healthcare Performance Center in Henderson, Nevada.[1][2]
The comments came amid projections that Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who led the Hoosiers to their first College Football Playoff national championship with a win over Miami on Jan. 19, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Florida, could be the No. 1 overall pick in the April 2026 NFL Draft. The Raiders hold the top selection.[1][3]
Kubiak was named Raiders head coach in February 2026 after serving as offensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks, who won their second Super Bowl title.[1][2] Previously, Kubiak held offensive coordinator and quarterback coaching roles with teams including the Denver Broncos and Minnesota Vikings.[4]
Aidan O'Connell is the Raiders' only other quarterback on the roster following the trade of Geno Smith. 
Veterans Kirk Cousins, Jimmy Garoppolo and Russell Wilson remain available as free agents.[1]
The Raiders have not won a playoff game since defeating the Los Angeles Chargers 27-26 in a wild-card matchup on Jan. 15, 2022. Their last AFC Championship appearance was after the 2002 season.[5][6]
On defense, five-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Maxx Crosby remains with the Raiders after a proposed trade to the Baltimore Ravens was voided due to a failed physical. Kubiak said of the news from general manager John Spytek: "We got Maxx back. Are you kidding me? That's great. Our team just got better."[1][2]
Kubiak praised Mendoza: "He's a national champion. He's a winner. He's quick. He's intelligent."[1]
Sources
- Fox News, "Raiders coach Klint Kubiak speaks at introductory news conference", February 2026, https://www.foxnews.com/sports
- Las Vegas Raiders, "Head Coach Introductory Press Conference", February 10, 2026, https://www.raiders.com
- NFL.com, "2026 NFL Draft Order", accessed October 2024, https://www.nfl.com/draft
- Pro-Football-Reference.com, "Klint Kubiak Coaching Record", accessed October 2024, https://www.pro-football-reference.com/coaches/KubiKl0.htm
- ESPN, "Raiders Playoff History", accessed October 2024, https://www.espn.com/nfl/team/_/name/lv/las-vegas-raiders
- Pro-Football-Reference.com, "Las Vegas Raiders Playoff History", accessed October 2024, https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/rai/postseason.shtml