Ryan McFaddenSep 12, 2026, 06:00 AM ET
Close

HENDERSON, Nev. -- Kirk Cousins will begin his 15th season in the NFL on Sunday against the Miami Dolphins. And for the Las Vegas Raiders quarterback, that milestone has a ton of meaning.

It's a sign of his resilience throughout his NFL journey. When Cousins was drafted by Washington in 2012, serving as a backup behind former quarterback Robert Griffin III, he didn't have any idea that his career would reach this point. Eventually, he emerged as a full-time starter for his final three seasons in Washington before playing six seasons as the starter for the Minnesota Vikings.

"I remember going out to minicamp my rookie year [in Washington] and just being grateful that I got to wear an NFL helmet for one practice," Cousins told ESPN. "I always felt like I was one year at a time, one day at a time sometimes, and taking that one day at a time mentality has led me here."

Year 15 also represents the generational gap between him and his new teammates in Las Vegas. As a member of the Raiders, Cousins' third team in four seasons, he is the oldest player on the roster at 38. He is one of three players who are at least 30, with left tackle Kolton Miller being the second-oldest at 31.

If Maxx Crosby, 29, puts himself in unc status among his teammates -- the average roster age for Las Vegas is 26 -- he said Cousins is a tier above.

"He's headed towards senior [citizen]. Nah, I'm just playing," Crosby said jokingly. "He's the oldest of the group, for sure. But he brings great energy, too. That's one thing I give him a lot of credit for. He never shies away from cracking jokes and being one of the guys, and he's been incredible."

Cousins being the elder of the team has come with benefits. It has led to frequent jokes between him and the other players. During the spring, Cousins asked players if they had seen the 1995 film "Heavyweights," starring Ben Stiller, and barely anyone knew what he was talking about.

Cousins recalled second-year right guard Caleb Rogers bringing up the 1984 movie "Red Dawn," asking if he had seen it.

"[Rogers] said, 'Yeah, I figured you had seen it because I knew it was from your era,'" Cousins said. "And then I looked up to see it was from 1984, and I was like, 'Well, I wasn't born until '88, but I understand what you're saying."

His presence is also essential for the Raiders, who are in the midst of a rebuild, and his familiarity with new coach Klint Kubiak's scheme can help get the young talent, including No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza, up to speed. That's why he is fit to begin the season, which starts Sunday at home against the Miami Dolphins (4:25 p.m. on Fox), as the team's starting quarterback.

"As a quarterback, you want to help the next tier guys to elevate their play," Cousins said. "I think that's what quarterbacking in this league is about; trying to help elevate the guys around you, so that when you step in the huddle, 10 guys play better, and also enjoy relating with the coaches and building a bond with them where you can finish each other's sentences."

WHEN THE ATLANTA Falcons released Cousins in March, he wasn't sure where his career would go next. Sitting in limbo, Cousins wondered if Atlanta's Week 18 win over the New Orleans Saints in January 2026 would be his final NFL game ever.

The past three years have been somewhat of a roller coaster for Cousins. His final season with the Vikings ended abruptly when he suffered a torn Achilles eight games into the 2023 season. The injury, however, didn't prevent Cousins from signing a four-year, $180 million contract with the Falcons in 2024.

Soon after, Atlanta drafted Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall pick of the 2024 draft. Cousins started in 14 games that fall but threw a league-high 16 interceptions before he was benched. Last season, Penix suffered a torn ACL, forcing Cousins to start the last seven games. He threw for 1,471 passing yards with 10 touchdowns and five interceptions to close the season.

Cousins was let go on the first day of the 2026 league year. And eventually, Kubiak called.

"Before Klint called, you have to ask yourself, 'What's next if I'm done?'" Cousins said. "Then I had the opportunity to come to [Las Vegas], and you focus on the task at hand."

Cousins came to Las Vegas and joined an organization that's starting from scratch after posting a 3-14 record in 2025. Despite the frequent coaching and front office turnover in recent years, Cousins said the current regime -- Kubiak, general manager John Spytek and minority owner Tom Brady -- has given him the belief that they can rebuild the team the right way.

Cousins said the Raiders have a system in place for what's needed to win in the NFL, starting with commitment from the top down on a shared vision. Kubiak's staff features coaches who have been with him at previous stops, including offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko and offensive line coach Rick Dennison.

Cousins even spent time in Minnesota being coached by Kubiak and his father, Gary Kubiak, who was an assistant head coach and offensive coordinator/adviser from 2019-20. That's why Cousins is important to help jump-start this rebuild. He has a firm understanding of Kubiak's expectations and how the offense should be run, and he can relay that message to the rest of the team.

"He brings a lot of experience to the room, a lot of plays in this league," Janocko said. "... As we learn and we grow, we can feed from some of the knowledge that he brings to the table."

COUSINS' PRESENCE HAS allowed some players to relive their childhood. He remembered walking past a player in the weight room who said to Cousins that he used him when playing Madden in middle school.

Cousins has had players who are from the Maryland and D.C. area say "You like that?!" when he walks past them.

"I'd dap them up and introduce myself, and they say, 'Man, I remember when you said that I was in seventh grade or whatever the age is, and so they date you a little bit," Cousins said.

Cousins has had fun interacting with the younger players. Moments like when teammates reference some of his viral moments or pop culture conversations remind him of the large age gap that has made him smile. He would sometimes go home to his sons and ask them about stuff he heard at work so he could stay hip with everything.

Recently, teammates made Cousins aware of the value of Pokemon cards in 2026, compared to when he was growing up.

"There were Pokemon cards when I was in the third grade, but they weren't quite where they are now in terms of the dollar value and the collecting," he said. "So I was like, update me on where Pokemon cards are now because I knew where they were in 1997."

Players have joked about Cousins telling dad jokes around the facility and his style, which includes cargo shorts and a T-shirt. "One of the teammates said [to Cousins], 'Hey, nice cargo shorts today.' I looked up at bro and was like, 'Yeah, he looks like a dad right now,'" second-year offensive tackle Charles Grant said.

Truth is, Cousins has always been an old soul. In Washington, Cousins said All-Pro offensive tackle Trent Williams gave him a hard time for wearing Mall Walkers shoes. Others would tell him that he had "nerd swag" or "his swag is having no swag."

"I guess now I've grown into the vibe that I always had," Cousins said. "I just had it in my 20s. Now I'm actually in my late 30s, and I'm a dad of two boys, and so the vibe probably fits better now. But it's really always been my shtick."

Cousins has a great admiration for the Raiders' young core. Among those players are second-year running back Ashton Jeanty, Rogers, and rookies such as Mendoza, running back Mike Washington Jr. and wide receiver Malik Benson.

He has been impressed with their work ethic and willingness to learn, and jokingly said they have improved his hope for the younger generation.

"Before we made final cuts, I said, 'Guys, you have restored my faith in Gen Z,'" Cousins recalled. "I said the way you've worked, the way football matters to you, the way you've listened, your discipline, your approach every day in this building, going back to April through training camp."

COUSINS' SOLE PURPOSE since arriving in April wasn't to be a mentor, but to lead by example so Mendoza can understand what it takes to have longevity as a quarterback.

Cousins beat out Mendoza for the role as the starting quarterback, which came as no surprise. The Raiders had initially planned for Mendoza to sit until he's ready. And even though the Raiders had an open quarterback competition, Cousins still showed that his command of the offense is what's needed to help the team win games right away.

Cousins did say Mendoza has a great understanding of what it takes to be a pro, to learn a system and understand defenses. Cousins said all those habits that Mendoza has displayed will lead to winning the long game and developing as a player.

Cousins knows that Mendoza's time is coming. And when that moment comes, he's confident the reigning Heisman Trophy winner will be ready to embrace the spotlight.

"It's just a matter of time before it really gets to a point where he looks back and he says, 'Man, I really feel like I've got this,'" Cousins said.

How Kirk Cousins is approaching Year 15 as a starter -- and mentor to the Raiders' young core

Discussion