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(Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)
Las Vegas Raiders‘ Maxx Crosby has nothing but respect for his peers who get after the quarterback. As a result, it came as no surprise that he reached out to Cleveland Browns standout Myles Garrett, who won his second career NFL Defensive Player of the Year award on Feb. 5.
Garrett accepted the award at the opening of the NFL Honors show in San Francisco, a fitting moment that capped a historic season highlighted by 23 sacks, setting a new NFL single-season record.
During an interview with CBS Sports HQ on Feb. 6, Crosby didn’t hold back on Garrett, whom he sees as someone to use as a measuring stick to get better and be the best player at his position.
“I reached out to him right away. We talked [on Feb. 5] a little bit and just told him congrats. You know, he’s somebody that, as much as we’re really cool, we use each other as motivation and push each other to be better because we’re both trying to be the greatest at what we do.
“Myles has been in the league a little bit longer and has created a resume that is unbelievable. Second Defensive Player of the Year, got over 100 sacks — those are all things that I aspire to do and plan on doing. He pushes me to be better, and I think he would say the same.”
Raiders’ Maxx Crosby Breaks Silence on Trade Rumors
Nonetheless, amid the trade speculation, Crosby also broke his silence on the matter as he made the media rounds during a Feb. 6 appearance on “The Herd.”
“It’s funny,” Crosby told host Colin Cowherd. “I’m glad you brought it up, because it’s like, damn if you do, damn if you don’t. For me, in the past, I’ve learned that being too vocal and too involved with trying to make, I want this coach, or I want this. I’ve learned my lessons, and I’ve learned from that. That’s not my job…
“But you can’t control everything. I’ve learned that. Now that I’m quiet, now I’ve got random people making big statements for me. They’re like, ‘Oh, Maxx must have told them this.’ For me, I just sit back and laugh, because I know my truth. When I go to bed at night, I have a smile on my face because I don’t have to explain nothing to nobody.”
Ashton Jeanty Drops True Feelings on Maxx Crosby Rumors
Moreover, Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty made it clear he doesn’t want to see Crosby in any color other than Silver and Black.
“He’s the heart of the defense, so obviously making plays for us time after time,” Jeanty said during a Feb. 5 appearance on “Up & Adams.” “We would definitely, in my opinion, lose a lot if he were gone. He can’t go. He’s got to stay.”
Additionally, Jeanty revealed what the Las Vegas pass rusher has meant to him after coming in as a rookie this past season.
“No, I couldn’t [imagine Crosby leaving the Raiders],” Jeanty added. “He’s just a special player, man, and I think he’s a special person, too. The energy and the mindset that he brings — he was one of the first people to text me when I got drafted.
“I’ll never forget what he told me. He said, ‘Don’t wait to lead.’ That resonated with me because as a leader, you think you’ve got to be a certain age or you’ve got to be a certain type of player, but it doesn’t matter who you are.”
Eduardo Razo Eduardo Razo is a sports writer for Heavy.com, covering the NFL, MLB, and college football. He has previously covered the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB for NBC Sports Washington and NBC Sports Bay Area & California, and has freelanced for PSG Talk, covering Paris Saint-Germain. He also worked as an editor at Athlon Sports, focusing on MLB and the NFL. More about Eduardo Razo
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