Will Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins pass for 3,000 yards in 2026? If that’s the case, he’ll be the first player in NFL history to accomplish the feat with four different teams. The new Raiders quarterback has hit the 3,000-yard mark with the Washington Commanders, Minnesota Vikings, and the Atlanta Falcons.
Earlier this offseason, Cousins signed with Las Vegas after being released by the Falcons. It’ll be interesting to see if he can make history this upcoming season.
Raiders Quarterback Kirk Cousins Can Make History in 2026
Looking Back at His Career
Washington selected Cousins in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL Draft. It was a surprising move, seeing that the team had already selected fellow quarterback Robert Griffin III second overall in the same draft.
However, due to Griffin’s injuries, Cousins eventually became Washington’s full-time starter. He made his first Pro Bowl during the 2016 campaign as he passed for 4,917 yards and 25 touchdowns.
In 2018, Cousins signed with the Vikings on a three-year contract worth $84 million. The Michigan State product would play six seasons with the Vikings, making the Pro Bowl three times. He tore his Achilles during his final season in Minnesota.
Cousins then signed a four-year, $180 million deal with the Falcons in 2024. During his first season in Atlanta, he passed for 3,508 yards and 18 touchdowns before being benched in favor of fellow signal-caller Michael Penix Jr.
Cousins began the 2025 campaign, backing up Penix. However, he eventually became the starter after Penix went down with a season-ending injury. Cousins finished the season with eight starts. He recorded 1,721 yards and ten touchdowns to go along with a rushing touchdown.
Players Who’ve Passed for 3,000 Yards with Three Different Teams
As mentioned before, Cousins has passed for over 3,000 yards in a single season with three different teams during his career. There have been several other players in NFL history who have done that as well.
Steve DeBerg was the first to do it, accomplishing the feat back in 1990 with the Kansas City Chiefs. He also threw for 3,000 yards with the San Francisco 49ers (1979) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1984.
Hall of Famer Brett Favre (Green Bay Packers, New York Jets, Vikings) and future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers (Packers, Jets, Pittsburgh Steelers) have also pulled it off during their illustrious careers. Other notable quarterbacks include Drew Bledsoe (New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys), Carson Palmer (Cincinnati Bengals, Raiders, Arizona Cardinals), and Ryan Fitzpatrick (Bills, Jets, Miami Dolphins).
Will Cousins Accomplish the Feat?
Las Vegas bought in Cousins to mentor rookie Fernando Mendoza. With over 170 career games, Cousins is the perfect player to learn from. Mendoza, of course, was selected by the Raiders with the first overall pick in this year’s NFL draft. The superstar quarterback had a spectacular 2025 season at Indiana, winning the Heisman Trophy and leading the Hoosiers to a National Championship.
So if the Raiders already have a potential franchise quarterback in Mendoza, how will Cousins even be able to play enough games to reach 3,000 yards in 2026? Well, new head coach Klint Kubiak is expected to bring Mendoza along slowly instead of just “throwing him in the fire.”
Bill Williamson of Silver and Black Pride wrote about the possibility of the team not playing Mendoza until December:
“There has been a lot of speculation by mainstream media that suggest the Raiders will wait until after their Week 13 bye to transition from Cousins to Mendoza. Part of that reasoning is because the Raiders have a rough stretch from Weeks 4-11 in which they play six teams that made the playoffs last season. Plus, they play four road games in November. So, that speculation lends to Mendoza taking the field as the starter in December.”
Cousins will have a great chance at 3,000 yards if that happens. But don’t look for the veteran Raiders quarterback to pull it off. More than likely, Mendoza will play the majority of the season like most No. 1 picks do.
Main Image: Candice Ward-Imagn Images
