Kirk Cousins Gives Honest Quotes on Fernando Medoza, Potential Benching Amid Raiders Losing Streak

The Las Vegas Raiders are currently mired in a four-game losing streak, and the elephant in the room is when the team might consider replacing veteran Kirk Cousins with 2026 top overall pick Fernando Mendoza at quarterback.

If the switch becomes necessary, Cousins seems prepared to accept it gracefully.

"It's really the same every day that it was in March or April. I mean, nothing changes in the sense that if I'm not the best option then I don't want to be out there, either," he told reporters following Sunday's 35-21 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. "I want our football team to have the best chance to win games, and if [in] the first OTA if that had become apparent, I would have been the first one to say, 'Yeah, you can't play me.' So nothing changes, you know, and the organization will do what they feel is best. I feel that, you know, Fernando's done a great job and has a great future ahead, and I try to go out there and play as well as I possibly can help us win and give him a great example to learn from, until he does go out there eventually."

Cousins has thrown for 1,877 yards, 16 touchdowns and five interceptions this season, and it's hard to pin the recent losing streak solely on his shoulders. The Raiders also went through a tough stretch, facing the Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Rams during the losing streak. A matchup against the New York Jets next week could be the remedy for the team's recent struggles.

If not, however, Mendoza Time could be approaching.