Maxx Crosby on trade deadline: ‘I play for the Raiders’

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Star defensive end Maxx Crosby reiterated his commitment to being a part of the turnaround of the Las Vegas Raiders after their 38-17 loss to the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium on Sunday.

The latest setback, which came 48 hours before the NFL’s Tuesday trade deadline, has not changed his desire to not be shopped by the organization.

“I play for the Raiders,” he said in the locker room after the game. “I expect to play for the Raiders. That’s all that matters. I love this team, and I plan on being here for a very long time.”

That hasn’t always been the case.

Crosby let it be known publicly through intermediaries during Super Bowl week at this same stadium in February that he was unhappy with the organization and was open to a trade from the team that drafted him in 2019.

He was eventually dealt to Baltimore for a pair of first-round picks, but the Ravens later voided the deal over concerns about his physical.

Crosby has been adamant throughout this season that the ordeal eventually helped strengthen his bond with the Raiders, the only organization for which he has played in the NFL.

His concerns about the trajectory of the team’s rebuild and future plans were a major part of his concern before, but those have apparently been assuaged by the team’s competitive first half of the season, despite Sunday’s result.

“We’re right in the mix,” he said. “We’re 4-5. We had a tough loss today, but when we’re at our best, we can beat anyone. We know it’s going to be a tough challenge. We’ve got a lot of football left and we have to take them one at a time. We’re right in the middle of it. This is the best time of the year. This is what you’ve worked so hard for.”

Crosby insisted he won’t even be paying attention to the movement around the league the next two days as contending teams wheel and deal for reinforcements from those planning for the future.

He said it was also the case last year, months before he eventually pushed for a trade in the offseason.

General manager John Spytek, Crosby says, approached him and assured him he would not be traded at the time. It’s unclear if the two have had a similar conversation this year, but the 29-year-old said he doesn’t want any ambiguity about his desire to remain in Las Vegas.

“There’s always narratives and always people that supposedly have all this inside information,” he said. “I speak very clearly because everyone has an opinion, but nobody really (knows anything). Everyone that has these random things that come out of nowhere is just trying to get some attention and clickbait. So it’s just part of the game. It comes with being a player of my stature and comes with the nature of the business.

“I don’t pay attention to it. I just hear through the grapevine what’s going on. (I just try to) be present. Focus on what I need to do. Be a great leader, great player and win games in the silver and black. That’s what I plan on doing for a long time.”

Contact Adam Hill at [email protected]. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.