Though Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby has not played a down under the team’s new regime, he was still rewarded with a lucrative three-year contract extension in March.
Crosby is grateful for that, but also feels like there’s more on the table for him and the franchise.
“It’s an honor, obviously, having the Raiders with a new staff and new regime come in and show me that type of respect,” Crosby said at the Sack Summit in Las Vegas on Thursday, via Tashan Reed of TheAthletic.com. “It means the world. Like Spytek said, it’s not about what I’ve done, it’s about what I’m about to do. … And we’ve got a lot of work to do.”
As one of the league’s top edge rushers, Crosby would like the chance to play in meaningful games in January. That’s easier said than done, particularly given that the AFC West’s other three teams made it to the playoffs in 2024.
The only time Crosby has played in the postseason was in 2021, when the Raiders fell to the Bengals in the wild card round. But after missing games for the first time in 2024, Crosby is healthy and ready to compete.
“Anytime you go out there, you want to be in a position to win,” Crosby said. “Individual success and things like that are awesome, but it’s not why you play the game. You play to win. We just saw it in the NBA: OKC, just a couple years ago, was one of the worst teams in the league. But they had a lot of young guys, they trusted the process, they developed, and now they’re the world champions.
“We’re trying to win. I want to win so badly. I put everything into it. I want everybody else to think like that. And that’s been my goal, just bringing as many guys along as I possibly can.”
Crosby led the league in tackles for loss in 2022 and 2023. Though he missed five games due to injury in 2024, he still was selected as a Pro Bowler after recording 7.5 sacks, 17 tackles for loss, 20 quarterback hits, and five passes defensed.
