Jan 27, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby at a press conference at Intermountain Health Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Raiders GM John Spytek Shares Thoughts on Maxx Crosby

Originally posted on Las Vegas Raiders on SI
By Carter Landis | Last updated Jun 14, 2025 12:30 PM ET

Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby has had an interesting offseason.

Recovering from an ankle injury that caused him to miss games for the first time in his NFL career, Crosby was the subject of trade rumors during the early parts of the offseason.

However, new General Manager John Spytek quickly quieted all those rumors by signing the four-time Pro Bowler to a three-year contract extension. Crosby and newly-acquired quarterback Geno Smith both received major paydays.

Spytek knew that Crosby embodied everything about Silver and Black culture, and he wanted him around for the long haul.

Spytek joined John Middlekauf on the latest episode of the ‘3 and Out Podcast’ to explain how things went down with Crosby this offseason.

“When Pete [Carroll] and I studied the roster, when you do what I do, I watched the whole league,” Spytek said. “Just so much respect for Maxx and the way he competes and plays the game on a day-to-day basis. He’s a guy who played 100 percent of the snaps at a high-effort, physical position. It’s really unheard of.”

When did Spytek know he wanted to extend Crosby?

“It just became clear,” he said. “I visited with Maxx pretty much the first week I had the job, that this is the kind of guy that we want to build this program around. Sure, there are plenty of people who, sure, you’re a new GM, and they want to see if they can shake your trees, see if they can steal someone from you.”

Spytek revealed – or maybe joked – that his former Tampa Bay Buccaneers boss was after Crosby.

“Maybe or maybe not, Jason Licht tried to get him before I even got on a jet to Vegas,” he said.

Spytek also said ‘several’ other general managers called him asking about Crosby.

“Jason was sitting in my house telling me, ‘Maxx for a fifth sounds great right now for everything I’ve done for you in my life,’” he said. “I was like, ‘Jason, don’t get me fired so I can come right back to Tampa. At least get me a real shot here.’

But he just is what we want to be. When I sat with him, he asked, ‘What can I do to be better?’ I said, ‘Maxx, this might be controversial, but maybe we don’t play 100 percent of the snaps. Maybe we play 95 percent of the snaps, so in the biggest moments, you’re fresh.’”

Spytek said Crosby told him it would kill him to come off the field. He compared him to Jason Pierre-Paul, a former All-Pro who also never wanted to leave the playing field.

You can watch the full podcast episode with Spytek on the ‘3 and Out Podcast’ here.

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This article first appeared on Las Vegas Raiders on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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