Raiders' Pierce readies rookie QBs Mendoza, O'Connell

Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce made it clear Friday: getting Fernando Mendoza and Aidan O’Connell ready to play is now a priority.

Kirk Cousins remains the Raiders’ starting quarterback, but Pierce wants Mendoza and O’Connell—both rookies—to be game-ready in case Cousins goes down. The urgency comes after Cousins suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in Week 8. His absence leaves the Raiders relying on Mendoza, a seventh-round pick from San Diego State, and O’Connell, a fifth-rounder from Purdue. Neither has played in a regular-season NFL game before.

Mendoza has thrown just 11 passes in his NFL career, while O’Connell has attempted 27. Both have spent the past seven weeks watching game tape, practicing in practice squads, and taking first-team reps in practice. Raiders executives have called their development “critical” given the team’s 3-5 record and slim playoff hopes. Backup quarterbacks are often overlooked until they’re needed—like when Derek Carr stepped in for an injured Matt Schaub in 2014 and nearly led the Raiders to the playoffs.

The Raiders face the New York Jets next Sunday. If Cousins is still recovering, either Mendoza or O’Connell could get the call. A strong performance would ease concerns about the franchise’s quarterback future. A mistake could derail any remaining playoff chances. The stakes are high, and the window is closing.