Former Raiders defensive lineman Denico Autry just recently retired, but he’s not the only former player for the team to retire. Another defensive lineman will be joining him.
Johnathan Hankins announced to NFL insider Jordan Schultz that he has decided to retire from football after 12 seasons.
An outstanding career for the former 2nd-round pick out of Ohio State, who was drafted by the Giants and also played for the Colts, Raiders, Cowboys, and Seahawks. Hankins appeared in 169 career
Hankins first came into the NFL as a second-round pick of the New York Giants. He lasted four seasons there and then spent a season with the Indianapolis Colts.
He signed with the Raiders in 2018 and ended up becoming a mainstay for the franchise. Hankins played in Oakland and Las Vegas for five years, which was his longest tenure with any team.
He was an important player for the franchise, having started 61 games across those five seasons. He was never a strong pass rusher for the team, but proved to be valuable in the run game. He was part of the last Raiders team to make the playoffs in 2021.
After his time in Las Vegas, Hankins spent two seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. He then went to the Seattle Seahawks in 2024, which ended up being his final season, as he didn’t play in 2025 due to injury. He likely would’ve liked another chance to play, but a 12-year career is still an achievement to be proud of.
Maxx Crosby Talks Added Motivation
Maxx Crosby is one of the few players left on the Raiders’ roster who played with Hankins. However, that almost wasn’t the case.
The team agreed to trade him to the Baltimore Ravens, but they pulled out of the deal. Crosby is one of the most respected players in the NFL, but the Ravens backing out made him look like damaged goods.
Crosby’s not too worried about that. He’s using it as extra motivation.
“Of course, there’s added motivation,” Crosby told reporters. “It’s beautiful at the same time. I love being doubted. I love being told I can’t do something because I’ll go to the end of the world to make it happen.”
Crosby has been recovering from knee surgery all offseason, but he finally got back on the field to start training camp. He’s very happy about that.
“It’s a blessing, man,” Crosby said. “I love this game. I heard all the noise and all those things, but everyone knows that when my back’s against the wall, that’s when I’m at my best. I love the pressure. That’s what I live and thrive on. It’s just added points and gives me a little more reason to go out there and whoop (expletive).”
Crosby Wants to Be the Best
Crosby already has a lot of money, but that’s not what keeps him eager to work hard. He explained why he’s still motivated to give so much effort at practice.
“Ultimately, it’s because I want to be the greatest at what I do,” Crosby said. “And I want to push my teammates to be the greatest version of themselves. So, when you get out there and bullets are flying, I’m not thinking about not going and not finishing the play. That’s just not in my nature.”
Former Raiders 5-Year Starter Announces Retirement From NFL