Kirk Cousins left Las Vegas Raiders rookie Fernando Mendoza with a simple message after the veteran quarterback was traded to the Minnesota Vikings on Tuesday.
As the Raiders prepare to officially begin the Mendoza era against the Seattle Seahawks (5-4) on Sunday at 1:05 p.m. PT on CBS, Cousins posted a photo on his Instagram story of himself walking alongside the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
“Thank you Raider Nation!
“Go get em @fernandomendoza”
Cousins' departure ends a productive nine-game run in Las Vegas and clears the way for Mendoza to make his first career start. The Raiders traded the 38-year-old quarterback to Minnesota in exchange for a 2027 third-round pick ahead of Tuesday's NFL trade deadline.
Kirk Cousins offers his goodbyes to the Raiders and support for Fernando Mendoza on his way out via Instagram. pic.twitter.com/sX8mMJqgOd
— Sam Warren (@samwarren83) November 10, 2026
Kirk Cousins' resurgence helps prepare Fernando Mendoza for Raiders takeover
Cousins experienced a resurgence under first-year Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak after struggling during his previous stint with the Atlanta Falcons.
The four-time Pro Bowler completed 202 of 315 passes for 2,340 yards, 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions across nine starts. Cousins completed 64.1% of his passes and posted a 97.1 passer rating while helping Las Vegas reach a 4-5 record.
His production also helped transform an offense that finished last in scoring in 2025. The Raiders are averaging 26.4 points per game, eighth in the NFL, entering Week 10.
Now, Las Vegas will hand the offense to Mendoza. The rookie has appeared in just one regular-season game, completing 6 of 8 passes for 48 yards during a Week 5 loss to the New England Patriots.
Mendoza will immediately face a difficult test against Seattle, which enters the matchup with the NFL's top-ranked defense in total yards and passing yards allowed.
Meanwhile, Cousins returns to Minnesota after previously playing for the Vikings from 2018 through 2023. His departure officially closes his brief stint as Mendoza's veteran mentor and gives the Raiders' franchise quarterback an opportunity to take control of the offense for the remainder of his rookie season.