Getty Raiders star Maxx Crosby got high praise from coach Antonio Pierce.
Raiders pass rusher Maxx Crosby is in his fifth season, and it is safe to say he has established himself as an NFL star. He has been to the Pro Bowl each of the last two years for the Raiders and is well on his way to a third this season. But coach Antonio Pierce said he sees even bigger things in the future for Crosby—including a bust in Canton, home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
He said that what is remarkable about Crosby is not just the level of energy he brings to the field, but his ability to bring that level every day in practice and during games.
“Maxx is different now,” Pierce said in his press conference this week. “Me and Big Mike (Strahan) talked about that now. What I would say is consistency. I didn’t believe it when I first got here when they said Maxx Crosby is going to do that every day. I’m like, ‘No. There’s no way this guy can have that kind of juice each and every day and be bouncing off the walls.’ And damn, he does, man.
“It’s crazy. I’ve never seen nothing like it. I mean, you know, you always say that (but), no, no, literally. Marvin Lewis was here. He said, ‘I’ve never seen nothing like this.’ And I said, ‘I told you. This guy just doesn’t stop.’ And that’s consistency and that’s what you see in guys that will eventually at some point wear a gold jacket.”
Maxx Crosby Should Be 1st Team All-Pro for Raiders
For now, it would be nice if Crosby got a bit of extra recognition for the work he has done with this Raiders defense. Sure, there are 11 guys on the field, but Crosby is so clearly the fulcrum of the unit, which has driven the team’s late-season surge.
Crosby has never been a first-team All-Pro (he was a second-teamer in 2021). That ought to change this year. He has never finished higher than sixth in Defensive Player of the Year voting. That should change, too.
Crosby ranks fifth in the NFL with 13.5 sacks and second in tackles for a loss (20). He is leading a defense that, since the firing of Josh McDaniels, has allowed just 15.3 points per game and has forced 13 turnovers in seven games. He has a defensive grade of 91.8 at Pro Football Focus, which ranks fourth among all edge rushers.
Antonio Pierce Credits Malcolm Koonce
Along the way, Crosby has helped develop his bookend edge rusher Malcolm Koonce, too. The third-year Raider is coming into his own and has five sacks in the last two weeks. Pierce said that the attention Crosby gets from offenses has opened the way for Koonce and he is finally taking advantage.
“Maxx is different though, me and Mike (Strahan) talked about that…I’ve never seen nothing like it…that’s what you see from guys that eventually wear a gold jacket.”
Raiders coach Antonio Pierce compares Maxx Crosby to former Super Bowl teammate Michael Strahan.
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“Players who really haven’t contributed a lot like Malcolm Koonce really coming along and just being dominant now in back-to-back weeks,” Antonio Pierce said. “Wow, right? Wow. And when you have a guy like Maxx Crosby on defense, you’re just waiting for somebody. We’ve been waiting for who’s going to be that guy to step up and like, ‘Man, look, this guy is going to get double, triple teamed. You have the one-on-ones buddy. You have to win them.’
“And he’s done that, and he’s done an outstanding job.”