Crosby Reveals His 'Welcome to the NFL' Moment

Every player, even stars like Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby, had to start as a rookie, not knowing their way in the league.

In some cases, veterans will take those rookies under their wing and show them the way. In others, a veteran will ‘welcome’ a rookie to the league by respectfully giving them a hard time.

Crosby experienced a ‘Welcome to the NFL’ moment with former Raiders offensive tackle Trent Brown. He recalled the moment during the latest episode of his podcast, "The Rush with Maxx Crosby," on which Coach Antonio Pierce was a guest.

A fan asked Crosby the question based on another question Pierce was asked about who the toughest player he faced was.

“This dude is 6-foot-8, 385, quick feet, massive, long arms, and I’m not even in pads,” Crosby said. “At that time, I was relying on running my head through a cage and trying to make plays. I wasn’t who I am today. This dude, first day of OTAs, is sliding me into a 4i, and I’m lined up over a mountain. I legitimately could not see anything. He just grabbed me, and I couldn’t see anything.

“I’m like: ‘This is not Eastern Michigan anymore.’ At that time, he humbled the s— out of me, but when you’re going against the best every single day, I went into the season with ultimate confidence. It took me like two weeks to beat him in a pass rush. I beat him with a long arm. His big a–, I got underneath him, and he went flying. I got a sack, and I was shocked I did it. Two weeks earlier, I was struggling. So, once I did that, I broke through that barrier and then it gave me the ultimate confidence my rookie season.”

Brown played for the Raiders for two seasons and was named a Pro Bowler in 2019. According to Pro Football Focus, Brown allowed only one sack in 581 snaps that season. In 2020, Brown played in only five games, spending significant time on the reserve/COVID-19 list.

To watch the entire podcast episode with Crosby and Pierce, click here.

From February 27 to March 4, 2024, the NFL Scouting Combine will be held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind.

The NFL Draft will be held in Detroit, Mich., on April 25-27, 2024. The Las Vegas Raiders currently hold the No. 13 overall pick.

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