Patrick Mahomes gives Fernando Mendoza some advice about Kirk Cousins
Patrick Mahomes watched Fernando Mendoza from the opposite sideline Sunday night and saw something very familiar.
The Las Vegas Raiders rookie remains behind Kirk Cousins on the depth chart, much like Mahomes spent his first NFL season learning behind Alex Smith before taking over Kansas City’s offense in 2018. Mahomes believes that arrangement can work in Mendoza ’s favor.
“It’s going to do a lot of great things for him,” Mahomes said. “Kirk is a true pro. It’ll be great for Fernando to learn and just take in.
“Hopefully not too much, because it went really well for me and Alex. Maybe not that much unless I’m gone, or something like that.”
Raiders resisting urge to rush Mendoza
Las Vegas has little incentive to force Mendoza onto the field while Cousins continues to perform. The veteran has helped the Raiders to a 3-1 start, throwing for 1,026 yards and 11 touchdowns through four games.
Even in Sunday night’s 30-27 loss to Kansas City, Cousins threw for 365 yards and two scores and gave the Raiders a chance late. That success gives Mendoza something many highly drafted quarterbacks never receive, which is time.
Raiders general manager John Spytek made that point before the season, noting that team performance would influence when Mendoza eventually gets his opportunity.
“If Kirk’s in there and we’re 7-3 after 10 games, that’s different than if we’re 3-7,” Spytek said. “That’s probably ultimately what kept Mahomes on the bench. They were in the playoffs. They were in the race through the whole thing.”
Mahomes understands that logic better than anyone.
Cousins believes playing well part of mentoring Mendoza
Cousins has also embraced the responsibility that comes with having the No.1 pick watching him.
“Kirk Cousins told me, ‘Hey man, the best thing I can do for Fernando Mendoza is play great and show him what an NFL offense is supposed to look like. That’s the best thing I can do for him,’” Mark Schlereth said on The Rich Eisen Show.
That approach removes some of the pressure from Mendoza to justify his draft status immediately. The Raiders can allow him to study protections, timing and game management without asking him to solve every problem from Week 1.
Mahomes ’ own career is the obvious model. He started only the 2017 regular-season finale as a rookie, then took over the following year and quickly became the face of the Chiefs .
Las Vegas would gladly accept anything close to that development curve with Mendoza . Mahomes , naturally, would prefer the comparison stops before Mendoza turns into another AFC West problem.
