Tumultuous offseason ‘added motivation’ for Raiders star Maxx Crosby

The Las Vegas Raiders’ offseason has been anything but calm for star edge rusher Maxx Crosby, who says the turbulence ultimately served as added motivation. Crosby reflected on his physical readiness during a recent media session, stating, “I haven’t gone full velocity since last year, 2025 in December,” he said. “So, there’s a couple plays I felt like I hesitated slightly. But physically, I feel like I had no thought in my mind. I was flying around and moving, and it’s all the work that’s been put in. There’s so many people I could thank for that. But just taking one day at a time. It was fun to just be back out there with the guys.” He described the months leading up to training camp as tumultuous yet transformative. “He grew immensely,” Crosby noted of the period, pointing to a knee operation that followed the previous season and a lengthy rehabilitation that was largely eclipsed by a trade request made public through intermediaries around the Super Bowl. Although the Raiders dealt Crosby to the Baltimore Ravens, the move was reversed after Baltimore’s medical staff expressed concerns about what they observed during examinations. Crosby returned to Las Vegas insisting he is now healthy and happy. His mindset for the upcoming season centers on embracing doubt as fuel. “My mindset coming into this season, obviously everyone’s talking about he’s got a chip on his shoulder. But I’ve always got a chip on my hip no matter what,” he said. “So yeah, of course, the whole situation, talked about it a few times. I’m done talking about it, but of course, it was added motivation. But it’s pretty at the same time. I love being doubted. I love being told I can’t do something because I know I’m going to go to the end of the world to make it happen.” Crosby characterized the experience as a blessing in disguise. “It’s a blessing in disguise,” he said. “There’s a lot of things that I learned and grew from, and that’s the beautiful thing about life. You have an opportunity each day to either feel bad for yourself and make excuses and be a victim, or you can stand up and rise and build and grow from those types of experiences. So, I feel like that’s what has built who I am and I try to inspire the people around me. It’s not about how hard it is and not how you could look at each the negativity and stuff that comes from it, or you just look at the positives and the things you can grow from, and that’s truly where I just keep my head at.” He added, “It was just awesome to be out there. I had so much fun.” Back in Las Vegas, Crosby expressed optimism about the Raiders’ direction, citing the influx of young talent and the leadership of new head coach Klint Kubiak. He also noted that Fernando Mendoza, the team’s top‑ranked wide receiver, is positioned to assume a larger role in the near future. On defense, Crosby singled out linebacker Quay Walker, praising him as the first player of comparable size he has shared the field with. While winning remains a primary objective, Crosby’s personal ambitions have not shifted. “I want to be the best at what I do. Period,” he said. “I write it in my journal every day. I’ll be the best in the world at my job and my profession. That’s why I work the way I do. It’s going to take every single one of us. Obviously, it’s all about the team. We want to win, and ultimately, that’s all that matters. So, me doing my part and some, is something I’m going to push for every single day. And greatness is measured by how many people we inspire. So, I want to bring as many guys with me, as many coaches, as many people in general that I can raise their standard and way of thinking.” To reinforce that philosophy, Crosby reported to camp alongside the rookies last week. He spent time around the facility, just down the street from the main installation, bonding with younger players while gradually increasing his workload in preparation for Wednesday’s practices. “I didn’t have any OTA reps,” Crosby said. “I haven’t played football since virtually last year, so I was excited to get back in the building and kind of get warmed up again, get back out there. I did a walkthrough on Friday with all the rookies and doing all the workouts and stuff with the rookies. So, I felt like a rookie again, which was a little weird, but it was awesome to just kind of get my feet wet before the vets got in town.”