Maxx Crosby, the Las Vegas Raiders’ top defensive end, is a monstrous pass rusher and a terrifying presence for opposing quarterbacks across the NFL.
He is off to a strong start this season, as is his club, which is 1-1 after beating the Baltimore Ravens 26-23 on Sunday.
People may be surprised to learn that a former Raiders head coach threatened to fire him during his first training camp.
Crosby recounted a workout at training camp in 2019 in which he was batting balls away, but then-head coach Jon Gruden objected and threatened to cut him.
Gruden was a hard-nosed, confrontational coach who quit during the 2021 season.
It was a good thing he didn’t follow through on his threat, because Crosby had 10.0 sacks, 16 tackles for loss, and 14 quarterback hits as a rookie, finishing second in the Defensive Rookie of the Year voting.
Last season, he recorded 14.5 sacks and led the league in tackles for loss for the second year in a row, earning his third consecutive Pro Bowl selection.
He had an impact against Baltimore, a squad that many predicted would make it to the Super Bowl when the season began, with 2.0 sacks, four tackles for loss, two quarterback hits, and one pass defence.
As a result, Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson, the reigning league MVP, struggled, going 21 of 34, allowing Las Vegas to rally from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to win.
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