Maxx Crosby “Never Wanted To Leave” Raiders

While Crosby lingered in trade rumors throughout the offseason, he’s currently in Raiders camp and is prepared to play out the 2026 campaign in Las Vegas. There were rumblings that a disagreement over the handling of his knee injury led to him seeking a fresh start elsewhere. While speaking with SI.com’s Albert Breer, Crosby acknowledged that those hard feelings have “subsided.” He also denied ever actively looking for a trade out of Las Vegas, although he admitted that he could still be wearing a different uniform at some point during the upcoming season.

“People don’t even understand, I never wanted to leave in the first place,” he said. “But people have their own opinions on that. And that is what it is. And that’s part of it. I never, ever wanted to leave this place. … I don’t do business. I’m not on the business side. I’m not on the third floor. So I don’t know. I’m not a mind reader. I’m not a future predictor. I’m not going to do that. I’m going to be present. I’m going to be the best Raider I can be for as long as I possibly can be.

“And, yeah, I do want to be here. And I do plan on winning here. And I do plan on continuing improving as a player and a person. And that’s all I can control.”

Entering his age-29 season, Crosby only has a single playoff appearance on his resume, and he’s played under five different head coaches (including interim) during his tenure with the organization. Despite the instability, the former fourth-round pick has emerged as one of the NFL’s premier pass rushers, collecting 69.5 sacks through his seven seasons.

While it once seemed all but guaranteed that he’d be playing elsewhere in 2026, Crosby is now preparing for yet another season with the only organization he’s ever played for. According to ESPN’s Dan Graziano, Crosby has looked healthy during recent practices, and he’s also fully committed to the Raiders. That’s because he’s had tough conversations with ownership, coaches, and executives, and the player believes everyone is on the same page.

“We can’t change the past, let’s focus on what we need to do to help the Raiders win,” Crosby said.