HENDERSON, Nevada – Just over a year ago, Maxx Crosby was on the COVID-19 list after just finishing an off-season treatment for alcoholism and living in isolation from the Las Vegas Raiders while splinters from his hands after work removed his pass-rush moves on a palm tree in his back yard.
Now? A happy, healthy, and hearty Crosby plucks offensive linemen from his teeth, and the defensive end of year three is making for a rather unusual and ubiquitous ride through Sin City.
“Who the hell drives an orange Porsche?” asked coach Jon Gruden.
The answer: the equally unlikely spiritual leader of the Raiders Defense.
It’s been quite a ride for Crosby, an underrated day 3 pick by the Raiders from east Michigan in 2019 who racked up 10 sacks as a rookie and attracted the attention and affection of funk music impresario Bootsy Collins. checked into rehab and added seven more bags last season.
Crosby, a fourth round draft pick ranked 106th overall, joined the Raiders with one goal after general manager Mike Mayock compared him to Hall of Famer Ted Hendricks.
“Long, lanky, tall,” Raiders owner Mark Davis told ESPN.com at the time. “I remember getting very excited to see him in the film and wondering about the competition [he faced at Eastern Michigan].
“But to say someone is Ted Hendricks? It’s tough. I’ve always said if I had a guy to team up, it would probably be Ted Hendricks. Remember, by the time we got Ted, we could do that Humpback not overcome Conference Championship Games. We got him in 1975 and then we broke that wall. He’s one of the righteous [six] Players who play on all three [Raiders] Super Bowl Champions. “
Justin Tuck, the Raiders’ former defensive end, meanwhile, sees another pass rusher as he watches Crosby.
“He’s not the fastest, he’s not the strongest, but his hand placement reminds me a lot – and I know I’m saying a lot when I say this – he reminds me a lot of Jared Allen,” Tuck said. “Jared has never been faster than anyone. But he knew how to use his leverage and hands to get people away from him, and if that O-lineman was a reacher or an engraver or a wrapper, whatever you want to call him, he knew how to get this one Defeated block.
“Well, he’s not Jared Allen yet, but I see some of the tech and some of the stuff that gets him over the edge that I saw on Jared.”
Crosby, who turned 24 last week, simply wants to be the best Maxx Crosby he can be. And having an elite pass rusher who books him into free agent signatory Yannick Ngakoue and commands double and triple teams should give the often freelance Crosby more freedom and leeway.
Especially when Crosby and Ngakoue compete against each other, well, the most mundane things.
Maxx Crosby’s orange Porsche stands out in the parking lot of the Raiders facility and has attracted everyone’s attention, including that of head coach Jon Gruden. Courtesy Maxx Crosby
“It starts with him and me,” said Crosby. “We’re all trying to get to the quarterback and we’re all trying to prove ourselves in this league. A lot of people don’t really talk about us at the end of the day so we have to go out and prove it.” and show that we are one of the best emerging D-lines in the league.
“People who love football, it makes a difference when it comes to who eats the best in the room. And who does the food prep … you can really see it in our D-Line room, and you can see as it seeps through the entire team. It’s special. “
For the past two years, Crosby and Clelin Ferrell, number 4 in the 2019 design overall selection, have referred to themselves as Salt-N-Pepa. However, Ferrell is now, along with Carl Nassib, a replacement for defensive coordinator Gus Bradley’s plan, which is based on waves of front four-pass rushers.
The Raiders were 29th in the NFL last season at 21 in Sacks, with 14.5 from Edge Rushers and nearly half from Crosby.
“Four is always one,” said Crosby of the top four of the Raiders.
And at Crosby, Bradley has a “different style of pass rusher”.
“Questions for ours [offensive] Tackles – what’s the difference between a guy like Yannick and a Maxx and a Carl? ”Bradley said.
“Maybe Maxx is unorthodox at times, so you never know exactly how he’s going to hurry and that weighs on you. He’s leaner, he’s faster, all these qualities that he has … not only does he take care of himself and really have a good attitude, but he also helps the other guys. He and Yannick have a unique relationship. … It’s really cool to see how they really push each other. “
Neither Crosby nor Ngakoue played in the preseason as the Raiders don’t want to risk injuring their front players. Even if both have to show their courage against the run, an alleged strength of Ferrell.
But in the joint training sessions with the Los Angeles Rams, if someone competed against you, there was Crosby, in the middle of the fight, joked after day 1 those days you could sneak in exactly a punch or two because nobody was fined or suspended receive.
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And in regular camp training sessions, Crosby has started running sprints alongside quarterback Derek Carr. Yes, to compete with the undisputed face of the franchise. Even if it’s just about who can jump higher at the end of the run.
“As a complete player, I want to be as disruptive as possible and I plan to do that this year,” said Crosby. “As a leader, I think this is the role that I feel natural in. I feel like I could have a positive influence … being a positive leader, being a ball of energy at all times. That’s what i want to be and want to guide the guys.
“I’m just myself and having fun when I’m out there.”
Yes, both in the field and on his ride as Madd Maxx over Town.
“I’m driving in here and there’s an orange Porsche, I know it’s in there,” said Gruden. “I leave at night and the orange Porsche is there. He’s a strange guy. He’s a fun guy. He’s a goddamn soccer player and thank god we got him. “
Oh yes, the orange Porsche.
As Crosby relates, it was a luxury after sharing a car with his girlfriend as a rookie and it was relatively low last season. So he accepted the offer from Gaudin Porsche of Las Vegas to look at their holdings.
“They had a white one, a black one, and then they showed me this lava-orange Cayenne Coup, 2021,” said Crosby. “I’m like, ‘That thing is sick.’
“They sat down with me and we adjusted it and yes, it’s a badass car. I don’t care what anyone says. It had mixed reviews, but it’s different. Just like me. That’s my inspiration to match my beard. “
ESPN San Francisco 49ers reporter Nicholas Wagoner contributed to this report.
