Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins and defensive end Maxx Crosby made headlines this week for a well-documented fight.
However, former NFL star Cris Carter eased fans’ concerns by offering a different perspective on the incident.
Cris Carter Shuts Down Concerns After Maxx Crosby-Kirk Cousins Clash
During live team drills on Saturday, Maxx Crosby repeatedly made contact with Kirk Cousins near the quarterback’s release point. The Raiders’ star defensive end then tipped one of Cousins’ passes and made contact with the quarterback’s arm on another play.
After the second incident, the Raiders quarterback confronted Crosby and reportedly grabbed his jersey as teammates eventually stepped in to separate the two players. Both Cousins and Crosby were removed from team drills for the remainder of Saturday’s practice following the altercation.
Crosby’s aggressive approach on the football field is nothing new. In fact, the veteran pass rusher acknowledged before training camp that Las Vegas’ new coaching staff had already warned him about making physical contact with the quarterback during practice.
Understandably, the incident led to plenty of questions about the atmosphere inside the Raiders’ locker room and whether the confrontation indicated tension between the two veterans. However, on the “Fully Loaded” podcast, Minnesota Vikings legend Cris Carter dismissed the idea that the incident represented any serious disagreement or chemistry issues within the team.
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‘Maxx Crosby didn’t want any fight with Kirk Cousins, because he wouldn’t have let him grab him,” Carter said. “I would say he played along. What they’re doing a lot in practice is if you throw a punch, we’re trying to make the penalty the same as if you were in a game.
“If you throw one punch in a game, you’re out of the game. If you throw a punch in practice, you’re out of practice.”
Cousins and Crosby also appeared to ease concerns about their relationship during the Raiders’ next practice. The two veterans looked comfortable around each other, with Crosby even taking the initiative to shake Cousins’ hand before tapping the quarterback’s helmet.
Cousins has already been named the Raiders’ starting quarterback for the 2026 season, beating out rookie Fernando Mendoza for the job. Meanwhile, Crosby appears prepared to begin the season in Las Vegas after an offseason filled with uncertainty surrounding his future.
Following the end of the previous season, Crosby requested a trade away from Las Vegas. His situation appeared to reach a major turning point in March 2026, when the Raiders agreed to a blockbuster deal that would have sent the star pass rusher to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for two first-round draft picks.
However, the massive trade ultimately fell apart after Crosby’s physical threw up red flags.
While Crosby is now back in the Silver and Black for training camp, questions about his long-term future in Las Vegas have not completely disappeared. NFL insider Adam Schefter has indicated that if the Raiders struggle early in the season, trade speculation surrounding Crosby could quickly return.
The Raiders superstar’s numbers last year were good enough to land him at #5 in PFN’s EDGE Impact Rankings, behind only Myles Garrett, Aidan Hutchinson, Brian Burns, and Will Anderson Jr.
