Raiders defensive star Maxx Crosby has spoken out about the trade rumors surrounding him this offseason. He made it clear that he’s not adding to the speculation. His only focus right now is recovering from surgery. Crosby is working on getting healthy, but he also made a strong statement about his main goal.
This might explain why the rumors started in the first place. Many are wondering why one of the NFL’s best defensive ends would consider leaving. According to Sports Illustrated, he signed a huge three-year, $106.5 million extension just last March. That kind of contract usually keeps a player with the team for years.
The Raiders have struggled badly in recent seasons, going 4-13 and 3-14 in their last two years. The real problem started when the team shut Crosby down for the final two games of the 2025 season. He strongly disagreed with that decision, which hurt his relationship with the team and sparked the trade talk.
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Losing seasons and team conflicts have pushed Crosby toward the exit
Right now, Crosby can’t be traded even if he wanted to leave. He’s recovering from a minor meniscus repair surgery he had on January 7, 2026. Doctors first thought it would be a quick trim, but it became a minor surgery. His recovery will take three or four months.
Since he won’t be medically cleared by the time free agency starts on March 11, no team would likely make a big trade for him before he’s fully healed. Crosby expects to return to the field sometime in June. Other NFL figures have faced similar off-field relationship controversies recently.
Speaking recently on Let’s Go! podcast, Crosby talked about the constant rumors about his future. He explained why he’s trying to ignore it all. “My focus has been on getting healthy because that’s all I can control right now,” Crosby told Jim Gray. “I just looked at my phone, I’ve been working all morning. Everyone’s hitting me up, ‘Did you say this?’ I can’t control that.”
While he’s downplaying the rumors, Crosby made it clear that he’s done with losing. He just wants to win, and that desire will decide where he plays in 2026. Like other veteran athletes considering their career longevity, Crosby is thinking carefully about his future. “I have a lot of goals, but I do want to win,” he stated. “That’s all that matters ultimately, but I want to be in a place where mentally I’m 100 percent myself. I just want to focus on football.”
He then revealed just how frustrated he is with the off-field drama. “People that know me know I’m about the work and the football. I just want to play football and be left the f— alone. Period. And the people that don’t understand that don’t f—— know me,” he said.
“But truly, I don’t give a f— besides playing football and winning football games.” The Raiders have been working to create an environment Crosby would want to stay in, hiring Klint Kubiak as their new head coach. They also hold the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming draft.
Published: Feb 14, 2026 01:15 pm