Former Raider Incognito Talks OL Pet Peeves

Former Oakland and Las Vegas Raiders guard Richie Incognito was one of the top players at his position during his days in the league. 

Not only that, Incognito was one of the most calculated and cerebral offensive linemen. Incognito, a four-time Pro Bowler, was known for being one of the toughest, most aggressive guards during his time in the league. 

So much so that Incognito can’t stand to see current offensive linemen fail to play with any nastiness to their game. He called it one of his biggest pet peeves when watching linemen. 

Incognito joined defensive end Maxx Crosby on the latest episode of his podcast, The Rush with Maxx Crosby, and talked about some of his pet peeves watching offensive line play. 

“Big, huge guys,” he said. “You have this big guy from ‘Bama or Clemson, or wherever, feet are flying everywhere without lifting anybody off the screen. I know NFL coaches hate that, too. You have a big-bodied offensive lineman out of Wisconsin, but he can’t move a guy three inches off the line. That pisses me off.”

Incognito said offensive linemen can have all the traits in the world but get stuck in the mud with their development. He said he wanted to separate himself from those kinds of players.

“I’ve seen thousands,” he said. “I’ve seen thousands of guys who have the attitude, who have the athleticism, who have everything, but they just can’t put it together. It’s unfortunate, but I never wanted to be one of those guys. I just wanted to be one of those guys that just kept getting better and better.”

The Raiders were fortunate to get a few good seasons out of Incognito at the end of his career. They enter the 2024 season with an impressive offensive line unit featuring top-end talent like left tackle Kolton Miller and promising rookie Jackson Powers-Johnson. 

With an offensive system in place that will heavily feature the run game, the Raiders’ big guys up front have to be ready to take on a strong workload. That includes being tough and moving players out of the way in the run game. 

Incognito and Raider Nation will certainly hope they can deliver and be a driving force in offensive improvement for the Raiders.

Click here to watch the full podcast episode with Incognito and Crosby.