Michigan native Maxx Crosby spent his whole childhood dreaming of a competent Lions team.
Las Vegas Raiders’ star defensive end Maxx Crosby never missed a game in the first five years of his career. But in 2024, Crosby was forced to sit out five games, ultimately suffering a season-ending ankle injury that required surgery. With the Raiders missing the playoffs for the third straight year – and the 20th time in the last 22 seasons – Crosby has turned his attention to his hometown team.
The Michigan native was selected by the Raiders in the fourth round of the 2019 draft out of Eastern Michigan. Growing up a Detroit Lions fan, Crosby has some mixed feelings about the team’s newfound success.
“It kind of bothers me because I had to wait my whole childhood for them to be good, and now that I’m in the league they’re Super Bowl contenders… Selfishly, I’m kind of mad at them,” Crosby said per 6WLNS.
“In all realness, seeing what Dan Campbell has built, hearing what those guys say about him – Amik Robertson, former teammate, is out there. Pat O’Connor was my teammate at Eastern Michigan, he’s there with Detroit. Everybody says the same thing. They’re like, ‘I hope one day you get to be in that locker room with coach Campbell.’ He’s incredible. They said he’d literally die for the players. He lives by that,” Crosby explained.
“The things you see in the locker room postgame and the interviews, that’s who he is. People kind of clowned him at first, they’re like, ‘The kneecaps stuff and all that is out of this world.’ It’s incredible to see for the city of Detroit,” Crosby added.
What does Maxx Crosby’s future look like with the Raiders?
With rumors swirling around his future with the Raiders, the four-time Pro Bowler appeared fed up with the organization at times this season. Crosby was a staunch supporter of Antonio Pierce, pleading with Las Vegas to retain him as the team’s head coach. While the Raiders did stick with Pierce for the 2024 campaign, the team fired him after a disappointing 4-13 season.
Crosby acknowledged the business side of the league when discussing Pierce’s dismissal. And although he maintains that he wants to be in Las Vegas, he doesn’t know how things will play out. Raiders’ owner Mark Davis shot down trade talk surrounding Crosby earlier this season. But the team did move on from Davante Adams when he became frustrated with the organization. It’s not unthinkable that a similar situation could play out with Crosby. And just imagine for a moment pairing Crosby with Detroit DE Aidan Hutchinson.
As for this year’s Lions team, coach Campbell is not looking past the Divisional round’s matchup against the Washington Commanders, downplaying a Super Bowl or bust mentality. Still, Detroit is playing incredible football. The team has won the NFC North in back-to-back seasons and the Lions’ 15 wins in 2024 are the most in franchise history.
Nonetheless, Detroit faces a significant challenge in rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels and the Commanders. Even a lifelong Lions fan like Crosby won’t rule out an upset in the Divisional round clash.
