{
  "id": 5184507,
  "title": "‘I Don’t Love It’ — NFL Analyst Drops Bold Statement on Kirk Cousins Being Named Raiders QB1 Over Fernando Mendoza",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/02/i-dont-love-it-nfl-analyst-drops-bold-statement-on-kirk-cousins-being",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-02T22:08:57.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/don-t-love-nfl-analyst-220857326.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On May 28, 2026, in Henderson, Nevada, the Las Vegas Raiders announced that veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins will be their starting quarterback for the upcoming season, with 22-year-old Fernando Mendoza serving as the backup. This decision was made under the guidance of head coach Klint Kubiak. The announcement was met with criticism from NFL analyst Jason McIntyre and former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III (RGIII) on The Herd with Colin Cowherd.\n\nBoth analysts stated that they \"don't love\" the decision, expressing a preference for giving the reins to Mendoza and allowing him to grow and learn as a rookie quarterback. They suggested that the Raiders might be trying to minimize the risk of injury to Mendoza, as playing under Cousins could potentially impact his career. However, they acknowledged that giving veterans like Cousins a chance to lead a franchise is not uncommon in the NFL.\n\nCousins, who previously played for the Minnesota Vikings, has since joined the Raiders and has been working with head coach Kubiak. Despite an injury that affected his performance, Cousins is now physically healthy and ready to take on the role of starting quarterback. Mendoza, the younger of the two quarterbacks, will have to wait his turn, but having a proven veteran like Cousins on the roster could help him adjust to the NFL and continue developing his skills.",
  "summary": "The mystery of who is going to earn the quarterback spot for the Las Vegas Raiders has finally come to an end. The franchise has officially announced, under the direction of the organization’s head coach, Klint Kubiak, that veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins will be the starting quarterback. Cousins will start Week 1 against the Dolphins. […] The post ‘I Don’t Love It’ — NFL Analyst Drops Bold…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}