Well, this is awkward.
The Las Vegas Raiders just told their best player—their only consistently elite player—that he's done for the season. And Maxx Crosby responded exactly how you'd expect a competitor of his caliber to respond: he walked out.
What happened
On Friday, the Raiders informed Crosby he wouldn't suit up for Sunday's home game against the New York Giants. The official reason? A knee injury he's been managing since October. The timing? Suspicious as hell.
According to Fox Sports' Jay Glazer, Crosby "vehemently disagreed" with the decision. Head coach Pete Carroll confirmed the rest: "He was talking about 'I'd like to get outta here' and I said, 'Yeah, get outta here.' So he took off."
Carroll added that he agreed with Crosby's reaction "1000 percent." At least someone in that building understands what competitive fire looks like.
The elephant in the room
Let's be real here. Both the Raiders and Giants are sitting at 2-13. The loser of Sunday's game has the inside track to the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. A pick that could land them a franchise quarterback like Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza.
The Raiders are also resting tight end Brock Bowers and safety Jeremy Chinn, both placed on injured reserve this week. That's a lot of "rest" happening at a very convenient time.
Crosby saw through it. Earlier this week, he made his position crystal clear:
"I don't give a s*** about the pick, to be honest. I don't play for that. That's not my job. My job is to be the best defensive end in the world and that's what I focus on every day."
The numbers don't lie
Despite playing through pain all season, Crosby has been dominant:
- 10 sacks (double-digits for the third time in four years)
- 28 tackles for loss (career-high)
- 39% run stop win rate (first among all edge rushers)
- Fifth consecutive Pro Bowl selection
This isn't a guy limping through the season. He's been the Raiders' only consistent source of resistance on defense. In Week 16 against Houston, he was making jaw-dropping plays. The man wants to compete.
What this really means
The Raiders haven't won a playoff game since Super Bowl XXXVII—over two decades ago. They've made exactly two playoff appearances in that span. Crosby has given this franchise everything he has since 2019, and this is how they repay him?
Sure, Carroll can say he doesn't think this affects his relationship with Crosby. He can claim there's "no concern" about the long-term impact. But actions speak louder than press conferences.
You just told your franchise cornerstone—a guy who leads your history books in tackles for loss—that his desire to compete matters less than draft positioning. That's a message players don't forget.
The bigger picture
This matchup is historic for all the wrong reasons. According to the NFL, it's only the third time ever that two teams 11-plus games under .500 have faced each other this late in a season. The last time? 1991.
Crosby wanted no part of being a spectator for this disaster. He wanted to be on that field, hunting down rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart, doing what he does best. Instead, he's watching from home while the Raiders tank their way to a draft pick.
Vegas is 1.5-point underdogs at home. Without Crosby, without Bowers, without any semblance of pride—that line might be generous.
The question now isn't whether the Raiders will lose on Sunday. It's whether Maxx Crosby will still want to be a Raider when this is all over.