{"id":653139,"date":"2026-01-04T11:45:15","date_gmt":"2026-01-04T11:45:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/653139\/"},"modified":"2026-01-04T11:45:15","modified_gmt":"2026-01-04T11:45:15","slug":"maxx-crosby-spills-raiders-gruden-godfather-exit-tea","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/653139\/","title":{"rendered":"Maxx Crosby spills Raiders Gruden Godfather exit tea"},"content":{"rendered":"

Maxx Crosby already has a good idea of how cold the business of the NFL can be.<\/p>\n

For years, he was the heartbeat of the Las Vegas Raiders, a defensive anchor in a franchise often adrift.<\/p>\n

Now, the relationship between the two sides is fractured, perhaps irreparably, after the team decided to shut Crosby down for the final two games of the 2025 season against his wishes.<\/p>\n

Amid the current turmoil, Crosby has been looking back. A viral clip has resurfaced in which he described the emotional scene at former coach Jon Gruden\u2019s home following his resignation in 2021.<\/p>\n

Maxx Crosby sees Jon Gruden plotting a comeback<\/p>\n

\u201cHe’s just sitting in the corner like the Godfather,\u201d Crosby told the \u201cBussin’ With The Boys\u201d podcast. \u201cHe couldn’t even, like, look me in the eyes… He was just, like, apologizing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Crosby recalled Gruden telling him he would be \u201cback,\u201d a statement that has gained relevance as Gruden prepares to coach the 2026 Hula Bowl alongside his brother, Jay.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was tough to see a guy like that who’s such a good dude and such a fing loyal, like, ride-or-die person,\u201d Crosby said. \u201cTo this day, he’s like that. \u2018I’ll be back.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

With rumors suggesting owner Mark Davis may consider returning Gruden to the organization, Crosby\u2019s nostalgia for a more loyal era highlights his dissatisfaction with the current regime.<\/p>\n

The Raiders are moving Crosby<\/p>\n

For the first time, league sources believe the Raiders would be open to moving the star defensive end this offseason, insider Dianna Russini reported.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor the first time, league sources believe the Raiders would be open to moving Maxx Crosby this offseason,\u201d Russini wrote on X<\/a>. \u201cThe relationship between the two sides remains strained after the five-time Pro Bowler was shut down for the season.\u201d<\/p>\n

Having played through injury to record 10 sacks and a career-high 28 tackles for loss, Crosby\u2019s desire to compete has collided with an organization looking to the future.<\/p>\n

With the Raiders securing the NFL\u2019s worst record and the ‘Total Reset’ strategy in full swing, is now the time for the five-time Pro Bowler to call it a day in Las Vegas?<\/p>\n

Decision will \u2018come to you with time.\u2019<\/p>\n

The Raiders are weighing the value of their 28-year-old pass rusher against the draft capital his departure would yield.<\/p>\n

Head coach Pete Carroll announced the decision to shelf Crosby was to protect the asset, prioritizing long-term value over the veteran\u2019s desire to play.<\/p>\n

\u201cHopefully, the right conclusion for his long betterment,\u201d Carroll said last week.<\/p>\n

But the decision has left Crosby fuming. Jay Glazer of FOX Sports reported that the defensive end \u201cvehemently disagreed\u201d with the move and \u201cstormed out of the team facility.\u201d<\/p>\n

Crosby, who obtained two independent medical opinions clearing him to play through a meniscus injury, has publicly rejected the team\u2019s tanking strategy.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don’t give a s— about the pick, to be honest,\u201d Crosby said<\/a>. \u201cMy job is to be the best defensive end in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

Broader league trends may impact the Raiders\u2019 offseason, with teams hesitant to fire head coaches due to a weak candidate pool. This uncertainty hangs over Las Vegas as they prepares to rebuild, potentially leaving Crosby in limbo if he remains.<\/p>\n

Why Crosby rejected the \u2018Total Reset.\u2019<\/p>\n

\"Las<\/p>\n

Jessica Cryderman – The Sporting Tribune<\/p>\n

Las Vegas Raiders defensive end, Maxx Crosby (98) getting excited before an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers on November 30, 2025 in Los Angeles, CA.<\/p>\n

After playing with the NFL\u2019s worst record in 2025, the franchise is all set to secure the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 draft, positioning them to select franchise quarterback Fernando Mendoza.<\/p>\n

Moving Crosby would let the Raiders give a rookie quarterback several first-round teammates, which reportedly fits Carroll\u2019s focus on developing young players.<\/p>\n

But surely this is not how Crosby wanted his time in Vegas to end.<\/p>\n

His on-field dominance was pivotal to the Raiders maintaining any semblance of competitiveness, and now he is being sidelined for the sake of a draft pick.<\/p>\n

If a trade occurs before the 2026 league year, the Raiders would incur only $5 million in dead money. The acquiring team would inherit a three-year deal worth $106.5 million, with $59 million guaranteed.<\/p>\n

Trade destinations after Vegas<\/p>\n

Crosby may soon be preparing for life after the Raiders.<\/p>\n

The Chicago Bears, who possess multiple first-round picks, and the New York Jets have emerged as potential suitors.<\/p>\n

There is also the possibility of the Seattle Seahawks, where Crosby could fit Mike Macdonald\u2019s defense or reunite with Carroll\u2019s system, should the coach remain active in personnel.<\/p>\n

Crosby is scheduled for a \u201cmeniscus trim\u201d this month, with reports suggesting the recovery will be short.<\/p>\n

He is expected to be fully healthy<\/a> for the 2026 training camp, but whether he will be wearing Silver and Black remains the biggest question mark of the offseason.<\/p>\n

If the Raiders commit to their youth movement, they may not be able to offer Crosby the competitive environment he craves, but they would have the opportunity to set their new-look roster on the right path with the assets he returns.<\/p>\n

But the way Crosby stormed out of the facility, he had the air of a man who was saying goodbye.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Maxx Crosby already has a good idea of how cold the business of the NFL can be. For…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":653140,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[2065],"tags":[3619,7,1744,393,2455,2454,6563,88,6,525,23839],"class_list":{"0":"post-653139","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-las-vegas-raiders","8":"tag-fernando-mendoza","9":"tag-football","10":"tag-las-vegas","11":"tag-las-vegas-raiders","12":"tag-lasvegas","13":"tag-lasvegasraiders","14":"tag-maxx-crosby","15":"tag-news","16":"tag-nfl","17":"tag-raiders","18":"tag-tst-las-vegas"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/115836664173456211","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/653139","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=653139"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/653139\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/653140"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=653139"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=653139"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=653139"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}