Three rookie quarterbacks are set to make their first career starts this Sunday, pushing the total number of starting quarterbacks to a rare milestone. Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza, Cardinals quarterback Carson Beck, and Dolphins quarterback Kyle McCord will all take the field for their debut starts.
A Rare Milestone Through Ten Weeks
According to research from NBC Sports, these three players will become the 48th, 49th, and 50th different quarterbacks to start games during the 2026 season. This marks only the second time in the past 15 years, excluding the 1987 strike season, that 50 different quarterbacks have started games within the first 10 weeks of a campaign.
While an additional starter on Sunday remains unlikely because Seahawks quarterback Drew Lock does not carry an injury designation, this wave of debuts puts the league near historical territory. The only time more players started through the first 10 weeks of a season since 1950 was in 1999, when 55 different quarterbacks took their teams’ opening snaps.
Injuries and Trades Drive the Changes
A significant portion of these quarterback changes across the league stems from injuries. For the Las Vegas Raiders, the shift to Mendoza came following a roster move that sent Kirk Cousins in a trade to the Minnesota Vikings.
As teams navigate injuries and personnel decisions heading into Sunday’s games, the historic milestone highlights the volatility and depth required at the game’s most important position throughout the 2026 season.
