Raiders Make Definitive, Final Decision on Maxx Crosby

The Las Vegas Raiders' season started with wild developments and will end with one. On Friday, the Raiders informed defensive end Maxx Crosby of his status for Sunday's game. Crosby was far from happy about it.

Carroll Delivers the News to Crosby

Shortly after Crosby left the facility on Friday, Carroll elaborated on how Crosby took the news that he would not play on Sunday against the Giants. Carroll explained that as of Friday, he was not sure of Crosby's status for the final game of the season. On Saturday, the Raiders officially ended his season.

Crosby has been placed on Injured Reserve. He will have a miniscus trim in the offseason, according to Ian Rapoport.

"Yeah, we talked before when he was getting out of here that he's been fighting it so hard for so long. He's been fighting this thing for nine weeks, whenever Kansas City was, and each week, he has done everything you could possibly imagine a guy could do to play and he's been able to and they've worked with him to get through it,” Carroll said. 

“But after an evaluation we did Monday or Tuesday, whenever it was, it just looks too bad. And so, he doesn't want to take the news like that, and I don't want to take the news like that. 

“We just worked our way through to get to this point where he's been practicing on Fridays, and he'd have gone if we let him, he'd have been out there, and he would not have hesitated. But he knows that he's banged up, so he's talking about, 'I'd like to get out of here.' And I said, 'Yeah, get out of here.' So, he took off." 

Carroll explained how he expected Crosby's reaction to the news, as Crosby is well known for being a fierce competitor. Carroll noted that Crosby has played hurt for most of the season, dating back to at least the Raiders' 31-0 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in which Crosby missed time.

"No, no. Matter of fact, I anticipated it all the way throughout, and I've been with him since I saw him get on the bus in the Kansas City game, just stepping up the bus and having trouble getting up, getting out of that game,” Carroll said. 

“He's been just fighting his ass off the whole time, and he's been impeccably positioned himself as as good a competitor as you could be. You can't battle more than he's battling. He'd do anything to be able to be playing."

The Raiders ending Crosby's season early, which Crosby reportedly disagreed with wholeheartedly, was a resounding message sent from Carroll and the Raiders' front office to all of the players remaining in the locker room over the new two games.

Carroll may think and say otherwise, but a team sitting their two best players with the No. 1 pick on the line speaks volumes for any team. It is rare to see an organization make such a move, but the Raiders are making the right move.

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