The Las Vegas Raiders have spent Maxx Crosby’s entire career trying to build a contender around him. If they finally reach the mountaintop, Crosby apparently has no interest in asking for an encore.
Maxx Crosby Would Take the Ring and Walk Away
The five-time Pro Bowler was presented with a brutal hypothetical: win the Super Bowl this season while playing poorly and never play again, or reach the Super Bowl in each of the next three seasons, lose every time, but win MVP. Crosby did not need much convincing.
“I think I’m winning a Super Bowl,” Crosby said in the interview clip.
When the interviewer suggested winning the championship and riding into the sunset, Crosby agreed.
“Ride off into the sunset,” Crosby said. “Yeah, you know, it’s because you could help the team get to the Super Bowl. You know what I mean? Obviously, I wanna play great in the Super Bowl too, but losing the Super Bowl and getting self-accolades, like, you would never feel good about it.”
Crosby then made the priority even simpler and said, “I just, I wanna win a Super Bowl, you know?”
View this post on Instagram
For a player whose résumé already has plenty of individual recognition, the answer tracks. Crosby has made five consecutive Pro Bowls and has twice earned All-Pro honors. What he has not experienced is postseason success.
START PREPARING: PFN’s Free Fantasy Draft Simulator
Las Vegas has reached the playoffs only once since Crosby entered the NFL in 2019. The Raiders lost to the Cincinnati Bengals in the Wild Card Round following the 2021 season, and the franchise has not won a playoff game since the 2002 season.
Crosby has done his share of heavy lifting anyway. He recorded 73 tackles, 28 tackles for loss, and 10 sacks in 15 games last season. His 89.3 PFN EDGE Impact score ranked fifth among qualifying edge rushers, while his 99.0 run defense score ranked first.
Crosby Has Made Winning His Clear Priority
The Super Bowl answer carries extra weight after a strange offseason.
Las Vegas agreed in March to trade Crosby to the Baltimore Ravens for two first-round picks, but Baltimore backed out after concerns arose during his physical. Crosby had undergone knee surgery in January and eventually returned to the Raiders, where he has been working his way back during training camp.
BE THE GM OF YOUR FAVORITE TEAM: PFN’s Free NFL Mock Draft Simulator
The physical concerns briefly looked like they might end Crosby’s seven-year run with Las Vegas. Instead, he is back for Year 8 with a franchise trying another reset under head coach Klint Kubiak.
Crosby has never lacked individual hardware or attention. The Raiders star recently landed at No. 24 on the NFL Top 100 after leading the team in sacks and tackles for loss last season.
His hypothetical retirement plan makes clear what is still missing.
Three MVP awards with three Super Bowl losses might look fantastic on a trophy shelf, but Crosby would rather take one Lombardi Trophy and let the sunset handle the rest.
