Other contributing factors Cousins mentioned were the atmosphere of Las Vegas and the Raiders facilities. He spent time at the team’s headquarters during the 2023 Pro Bowl Games and left “very impressed,” but walking the building as the team’s new quarterback offered a different perspective.
What he sees now is an organization investing heavily in a roster built around a young core. Ashton Jeanty and Brock Bowers headline that group, joined by splash free‑agent signing Tyler Linderbaum, giving a foundation Cousins believes can grow quickly.
“I can tell in just being here at the facility today that, from ownership to management, the resources are being put in place here to give us all we need to win,” he said. “And now, us as players have got to go do it, but it starts there.”
And while Cousins’ longevity and accomplishments speak for themselves, he isn’t oblivious at this stage in his career either.
He acknowledged he’s potentially, to quote Boyz II Men, coming to the end of the road.
“For me, I got more football behind me that ahead of me,” he said. “And as a result, I see my time here as a great opportunity to finish strong. To leave a mark, to hopefully send things in the right direction, such that when I’m done playing, I can be proud of not only what we did in my time here in Vegas, but then what the Raiders are still doing.”
But don’t be fooled. The 37-year-old has proved he’s got more in the tank.
He ended his 2025 season with the Atlanta Falcons with four straight wins – nearly earning a division title for a team that started the season with a 3-7 record. In his two seasons in Atlanta, he completed 65% of his passes and threw 28 touchdown passes – not to mention a winning record (12-10) in his career starts with the franchise.
So while he remains confident as ever in his abilities, he’s fully embracing this new challenge with a Raiders team marching into the future. With his play on the field, he’ll be able to contribute. But his leadership and experience could make an even lasting impact.
“Going into Year 15 now, [I’m] trying to set a standard in the locker room. … Just trying to be an available resource to everybody in the locker room that would want to ask questions or want to learn about what my journey has been like in this league, I’d love to help them anyway that I can.”
