Three quarterbacks set to make first NFL starts this week
Fernando Mendoza, Carson Beck and Kyle McCord will each make their first career starts in Week 10, joining a record-tight group of first-time starters this season.
Three quarterbacks are slated to make their first NFL starts in Week 10, a milestone that will bring the league’s total to 50 quarterbacks with at least one start through the first ten weeks, matching the second-highest total in the past two decades. The trio includes No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza for the Las Vegas Raiders, third-rounder Carson Beck for the Arizona Cardinals and sixth-rounder Kyle McCord for the Miami Dolphins.
Mendoza, the 2025 Heisman winner who led Indiana to a 16-0 season, will start against the Seattle Seahawks after serving as a backup to veteran Kirk Cousins. He praised Cousins for mentoring him, saying the veteran “has taught me so many things… I really appreciate him.”
Beck, the 2026 No. 65 overall pick, earned the Cardinals’ starting role after injuries and roster moves displaced Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew. He described the season as “crazy” and expressed excitement about the opportunity, noting that watching his predecessors taught him how to handle the quarterback position.
McCord, a former Ohio State and Syracuse player who led the NCAA in completions and yards in 2024, will start for the Dolphins after Malik Willis was placed on injured reserve. He cited his college experience on big stages as a source of confidence heading into his debut.
If all three start, the week will mark the second occurrence of multiple rookie debuts as starters in the same week since 2019, and only the third trio of first-time starters in a single week over the past 30 seasons.