Staying with one team for the entirety of a career is rather uncommon in the modern NFL, since players frequently leave their original team in free agency in an attempt to secure a higher paycheck or position themselves for an easy championship win. However, Maxx Crosby, a defensive end with the Las Vegas Raiders, has stated that he is prepared to dedicate the rest of his career to the team. But in the process, he took a dig at one of the best basketball players of all time.
During an appearance on The Jim Rome Show last week, Crosby expressed his desire to follow in the footsteps of NBA legends Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan, who won all of their titles with a single team.
He showed his allegiance to the Raiders by stating his intention to stay with them forever and rejecting the notion of taking the easy route, much like another well-known NBA player, LeBron James.
“The guys who inspire me are the Kobes and the Jordans; those that stayed at the same place and won in the same place,” Crosby stated. “I don’t mean to offend LeBron and other guys. I won’t give them any heat, but they took the easy route. That’s not how I see it. I’m going to be a Raider for life.”
“Having experienced the ups and downs as well as the hardships will make my Super Bowl victory all the more sweeter. So, I want to stay here for a very long time and to succeed here. You know, when I signed that contract, I didn’t have any thought of leaving or the idea of leaving.”
Crosby has performed impressively since he was drafted by the Raiders in 2019, and he now appears dedicated to completing the unfinished work until the very end.
Crosby believes the Raiders can soon win something despite not having won the Super Bowl since 1983, not being the AFC Champions since 2002, and not making an appearance in the Big Game since 2003.
The pass rusher and the Raiders agreed to a four-year, $95 million contract agreement in 2022. According to sources from ESPN.com, a recent contract renegotiation resulted in a $6 million increase in his yearly income.
Can the Raiders compete for top honors in the 2024 season?
The Las Vegas Raiders had an 8-9 record in the league last season. Since then, they have been working to improve their squad.
They kept head coach Antonio Pierce, had a strong draft in April, and made good moves in free agency such as signing former Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Christian Wilkins.
It’s difficult to see the Raiders competing for the top spot in the stacked AFC in 2024, though, with no top-tier quarterback option on the roster outside of fallback quarterback Gardner Minshew and former fourth-round selection Aidan O’Connell.
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