Raiders Release Statement After Response to Messy Decision to Shut Down Maxx Crosby

Maxx Crosby was apparently not very pleased to find out he would not be playing in the Raiders’ final two games of the year.

Maxx Crosby was not at all pleased by the Raiders’ decision to shut him down for the year. / Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

The Raiders are shutting down their best defensive weapon for the rest of the season, and he is not too pleased about the decision.

Earlier this week, it was reported that Las Vegas would be shelving edge rusher Maxx Crosby for the rest of the year. Crosby reportedly left the team’s facility after being informed of the decision.

"Yeah, I don’t give a s--- about the pick, to be honest," Crosby said Tuesday, before the team made the call to shut him down for the year. "I don’t play for that. That's not my job. My job is to be the best defensive end in the world. That's what I focus on every day. Being a great leader, being an influence. Being that guy on a consistent basis for my team."

On Saturday, the Raiders put out a statement confirming Crosby’s move to the IR and further justifying taking one of their best players off the field against his wishes.

“After deliberate and thorough consultation with multiple top medical professionals, it became celar that this decision is in the best interest of both the franchise and the player,” the statement read. “Maxx is the ultimate warrior, and he has fought extremely hard to compete each week with his teammates since injuring his knee mid-season.”

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, it’s expected that Crosby will need knee surgery that will sideline him through the start of the offseason.

At first glance, the Raiders decision feels like an extremely obvious tanking ploy. Las Vegas is up against the Giants on Sunday, with the loser taking pole position in the race for the first pick in next year’s NFL draft. Having Crosby off the field certainly helps their chances of claiming that top pick and hopefully finding a quarterback they trust moving forward.

That said, there are legitimate football reasons to keep Crosby off the field as well. Plenty of teams decide to shut down their most talented players when a season is officially lost and the risk of injury is greater than the reward of a few more wins on a year that’s already been deemed a disaster.

Further, given how far away the Raiders currently are from competing, exploring a trade of Crosby might make the most sense for the team this offseason, and keeping him healthy enough to be traded is thus a top priority.

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