New Las Vegas Raiders coach Klint Kubiak met with star defensive end Maxx Crosby for coffee Tuesday morning, hours before his introductory news conference. Kubiak said Crosby was already at the facility working out when he arrived.
“I got to drink a cup of coffee with Maxx this morning,” Kubiak said. “Loved talking ball with him, and I look forward to continuing those conversations. He was the first one here this morning working out, so that fired me up.”
Kubiak’s comments come amid reports that Crosby has told the team he does not intend to play for the Raiders again. A SportsBoom report Monday claimed Crosby made that clear to the organization. Despite the speculation, Kubiak expressed a desire to keep the four-time Pro Bowl defensive end.
“Yeah, we want him to be a part of our success going forward. There’s no doubt about that,” Kubiak said. “He’s one of the best players in the NFL, so that’s a no-brainer to get to work with Maxx and see him continue to have success with this organization.”
Crosby, 28, addressed the trade rumors Monday on SiriusXM’s “Let’s Go!” podcast with Jim Gray. He dismissed the outside noise and emphasized his commitment to winning.
“You earn that as a player,” Crosby said. “If I wasn’t doing the right things, and if I wasn’t the person and player I was, people wouldn’t be talking about all the nonsense.” He added: “I really don’t care what everybody has to say. I used to a lot as a young guy. I really don’t give a damn. People can have their opinions. I know what’s going on, I know my truth, and I don’t need to sit here and keep rehashing it to people that don’t know what’s going on.”
Crosby reiterated his desire to win but stressed the importance of being in the right mental space. “I have a lot of goals, but I do want to win. That’s all that matters ultimately. But I want to be in a place where mentally I am 100 percent myself. I just want to focus on football.”
The Raiders finished the 2025 season with a 4-13 record, and Crosby has been the subject of trade speculation as the team enters a new era under Kubiak. Many around the NFL believe the Raiders are reluctant to move the defensive cornerstone.
