Kirk Cousins' time as an NFL starter isn't over just yet. The 37-year-old reportedly signed a deal with the Las Vegas Raiders, his agent announced Thursday.
With the move, Cousins could open the season as the team's starter as it prepares presumptive No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza to eventually take over.
Cousins, himself, confirmed the news with a simple three-word post on X:
"The Autumn Wind" is a poem adapted for the Raiders back in 1974, written by NFL Films co-founder Steve Sabol.
Cousins will reportedly sign a one-year, fully-guaranteed $20 million deal with the Raiders, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. The deal is far more complex than that, but essentially works out to be a one-year deal.
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The move reunites Cousins with new Raiders coach Klint Kubiak, who was Cousins' quarterbacks coach and eventual offensive coordinator when the two were with the Minnesota Vikings. Cousins reportedly had interest from ahandful of other teams, including the Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Rams, but ultimatelyopted to join Kubiak in Las Vegas, per The Athletic.
The news comes a day after Mendoza — who the Raiders are expected to select with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft — had his pro day. The Cousins signing likely isn't a commentary on how the Raiders felt about Mendoza's performance at his pro day, as Kubiak has talked about his preference fornot using a rookie starter immediately, per NFL.com.
"Ideally, you don't want him to start from Day 1," Kubiak said Tuesday. "You'd love him to be able to learn behind somebody. That's in a perfect world. It doesn't always work out that way. Sometimes they have to play from Day 1, and it's our job as coaches to get them ready to go. I think it does help the player if they can sit behind a mature adult and watch how they run the show."
That sentiment makes it seems likely Cousins will open the 2026 NFL season as the Raiders' starter. That could change depending on how both players perform in training camp and in the preseason, but Cousins looks to have a leg up on Mendoza for now.
Cousins opened last season in a backup role for the Atlanta Falcons behind Michael Penix Jr. But an injury to Penix opened the door for Cousins to shift back into a starting role down the stretch. In 10 games – eight starts — Cousins threw 10 touchdowns against five interceptions.
After considering his options during the offseason, Cousins ultimately landed with the Raiders. The move could give him one more shot to prove himself as a starting quarterback in the NFL, though it seems unlikely he'll remain in that role for long with Mendoza likely waiting in the wings.
Nicki Minaj's legendary rap career has spanned nearly two decades. From breakout mixtapes to chart-topping crossover albums, she has shaped pop culture, fashion and the rap game along the way. Scroll on for a look back at her career." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Nicki Minaj performs onstage during her Pink Friday 2 World Tour at Madison Square Garden on Sept. 7, 2024, in New York City." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Nicki Minaj performs onstage at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards on Sept. 12, 2023, in Newark, New Jersey." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Nicki Minaj accepts the best hip-hop video award for "Do We Have a Problem?" onstage at the 2022 MTV VMAs at Prudential Center on Aug. 28, 2022, in Newark, New Jersey." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Here, Minaj and her husband Kenneth Petty pose at the Marc Jacobs Fall 2020 runway show during New York Fashion Week on Feb. 12, 2020, in New York City. 
Nicki Minaj accepts the Gamechanger Award at the Billboard Women In Music event on Dec. 12, 2019, in Los Angeles." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Nicki Minaj works the runway in an elegant pink train at the 2019 Met Gala "Celebrating Camp: Notes on Fashion" on May 6, 2019, in New York City." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Nicki Minaj rocks a short, blonde hairdo during New York Fashion Week on Sept. 11, 2018, in New York City." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Nicki Minaj attends the "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination" Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 7, 2018, in New York City." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Nicki Minaj performs onstage during the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards on Aug. 27, 2017, in Inglewood, California." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Nicki Minaj performs on stage during the 2017 NBA Awards Live on TNT on June 26, 2017, in New York City." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
From left, Fergie, Kim Kardashian West and Nicki Minaj attend the Daily Front Row's third annual Fashion Los Angeles Awards at Sunset Tower Hotel on April 2, 2017, in West Hollywood, California." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Minnie Mouse and Nicki Minaj attend the Fashion LA Awards. Minnie is wearing a custom alice + olivia by Stacey Bendet dress at the Sunset Tower Hotel on April 2, 2017, in West Hollywood, California." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Nicki Minaj, right, and Meek Mill watch the game between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Portland Trail Blazers in Philadelphia on Jan. 16, 2016." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Nicki Minaj and Beyoncé perform onstage during TIDAL X: 1020 Amplified by HTC at Barclays Center of Brooklyn on Oct. 20, 2015, in New York City." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
From left, Victor Cruz, Debbie Harry, Nicki Minaj and June Ambrose attend the Givenchy fashion show during Spring 2016 New York Fashion Week at Pier 26 at Hudson River Park on Sept. 11, 2015, in New York City. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Cedric The Entertainer as Eddie, left, Nicki Minaj as Draya and Ice Cube as Calvin in a scene from the film "Barbershop: The Next Cut."" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Nicki Minaj performs onstage during the 2015 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 17, 2015, in Las Vegas." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
From left, Charli XCX, Nicki Minaj and Ariana Grande perform onstage at the 2014 American Music Awards at Nokia Theatre on Nov. 23, 2014, in Los Angeles." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Nicki Minaj performs at Fashion Rocks 2014 at the Barclays Center on Sept. 9, 2014, in Brooklyn, New York." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
(Front to back) Nicki Minaj, Jessie J and Ariana Grande perform onstage during the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards on Aug. 24, 2014, in Inglewood, California." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Leslie Mann, Cameron Diaz, Nicki Minaj and Kate Upton speak onstage at the 2014 MTV Movie Awards at Nokia Theatre on April 13, 2014, in Los Angeles. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Nicki Minaj attends her Kmart collection private event at Fig & Olive Melrose Place on March 1, 2013, in West Hollywood, California." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Nicki Minaj performs onstage during the 40th American Music Awards held at Nokia Theatre on Nov. 18, 2012, in Los Angeles." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Nicki Minaj arrives at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards at Staples Center on Sept. 6, 2012, in Los Angeles." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Nicki Minaj onstage at the 2013 BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards at Hammerstein Ballroom on Aug. 22, 2013, in New York City." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Nicki Minaj performs at the Nokia Theatre on Aug. 8, 2012, in Los Angeles" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Nicki Minaj visits BET's "106 & Park" at the BET Studios on April 2, 2012, in New York City." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Nicki Minaj speaks onstage during The Grammy nominations concert live countdown to music's biggest night at Nokia Theatre on Nov. 30, 2011, in Los Angeles." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Nicki Minaj (L) and editor-in-chief of American Vogue, Anna Wintour, attend the Carolina Herrera Spring 2012 fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at The Theater at Lincoln Center on Sept. 12, 2011, in New York City." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Nicki Minaj arrives at the 2011 Grammy Awards at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, on Feb. 11, 2011." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Nicki Minaj performs onstage during "VH1 Divas Salute the Troops" presented by the USO at the MCAS Miramar on Dec. 3, 2010, in Miramar, California." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 