Superstar edge rusher Maxx Crosby has understandably expressed frustration with the Las Vegas Raiders in the past. His sources of frustration have come from all of the losing and turnover the team has experienced during his time there.
That has led to plenty of speculation that Crosby could want out of Las Vegas, and that speculation has only grown due to the fact that the four-time Pro Bowler hasn’t fully committed to staying with the team for the long haul.
Crosby not only wants to get his contract situation straightened out (Crosby has no more guaranteed money left on his current deal), he also wants to see a clear plan for the future to give him confidence the team is heading in a winning direction.
Crosby was making the rounds on radio row down at the Super Bowl on Thursday and his comments about the state of the Raiders currently shows that things are moving in the right direction when it comes to him staying.
“I’ve had doubts in the past,” Crosby told Pro Football Talk Live. “I feel like this past year was the hardest part of my career. Battling through injury the whole year, struggling, losing 10 games in a row. Up here, it makes you start questioning a lot of things.”
”It seems as if we’re going in the right direction,” Crosby added. “I can’t say that it is, but this is probably the most optimistic I’ve been in recent years.”
During an appearance on Up & Adams, Crosby reiterated that winning is paramount to him at this stage in his career, but he doesn’t want to take the easy route by leaving and joining a team like the Kansas City Chiefs, for example.
“I don’t wanna join the damn Chiefs and get a Super Bowl,” Crosby said. “That would mean absolutely nothing to me.”
That’s certainly an admirable position to take, and it’s one that Crosby has talked about before. During the 2024 offseason, Crosby said he didn’t want to take the LeBron James route in order to get a ring.
“The guys who inspire me are the Kobes and the Jordans; the guys that stayed at the same place and won in the same place,” Crosby said last June. “No offense to the guys like LeBron and those dudes — I won’t give them some heat but they took the easier road traveled and that’s not the way I look at it.
“Going through the ups and downs and the hardships is going to make it that much sweeter when I do win a Super Bowl. So I plan on being here for a very long time and I plan on winning here,” Crosby added.
That kind of mentality isn’t all that common in this day and age, and we can only hope that Crosby accomplishes the ultimate goal of winning the Super Bowl as a member of the Raiders.
But with all the struggles the franchise has had, and with everything Crosby has given the Raiders, nobody would begrudge him for going elsewhere if Las Vegas continues to fail at turning things around.
That wouldn’t be Crosby’s fault, it would be the Raiders’ fault.
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