The Las Vegas Raiders’ home opener under Pete Carroll was already frustrating on the field. A 20-9 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday Night Football left the crowd at Allegiant Stadium restless.
But it was a bizarre sideline moment from Maxx Crosby that added an unusual twist to an otherwise rough night that saw Tom Brady in the Raiders coaching booth cause huge controversy.
Midway through the second half, ESPN’s cameras cut to the Raiders’ bench while the defense was off the field. Crosby, one the league’s highest non-quarterback earners, suddenly appeared to hump the air three times in a lewd act while lying on his back stretching. Meanwhile, ESPN was slammed for its coverage of a horrific injury earlier in the game.
READ MORE:Travis Kelce loses it in five-word outburst with Taylor Swift nowhere to be seen
READ MORE:FOX NFL sparks fury among viewers with Eagles-Chiefs broadcast change
The clip went viral almost instantly, sparking reactions ranging from laughter to ridicule across social media.
The Chargers dominated defensively, holding Las Vegas without a touchdown and forcing three interceptions from quarterback Geno Smith. Justin Herbert threw for 242 yards and two touchdowns, including a 60-yard strike to Quentin Johnston that blew the game open in the second quarter.
For the Raiders, rookie running back Ashton Jeanty managed just 43 rushing yards on 11 carries, and second-year tight end Brock Bowers was limited to three short receptions after entering the night questionable with a knee injury.
Crosby himself made a few impactful plays, including wrecking a Chargers run late in the fourth quarter to force a turnover on downs, but the All-Pro edge rusher was otherwise quieter than usual.
He finished with five tackles and no quarterback hits, as the Chargers’ offensive line largely contained him despite an early flurry of pressures. The viral clip, however, overshadowed his on-field effort.
Crosby has long been a lightning rod for attention. Since being drafted in the fourth round in 2019, he’s transformed into one of the league’s premier defensive ends, earning a massive three-year, $106.5 million extension this offseason with $91.5 million guaranteed.
But he’s also shown his fiery, sometimes controversial personality on and off the field. This preseason, he was caught on camera making obscene gestures toward fans in Seattle. Monday’s sideline antics were less aggressive but equally eyebrow-raising.
Whether harmless stretching gone wrong or an ill-timed joke, Crosby’s sideline act became one of the strangest viral moments of Week 2.
For the Raiders, though, the bigger concern is rebounding from a flat home debut and giving their star defender a reason to celebrate for the right reasons in Week 3.