He could have been awarded as many zeros on a paycheck elsewhere. There would have undoubtedly been great interest across the NFL if the Raiders had ever hinted they were willing to part with Maxx Crosby.
Or if he ever requested a trade himself.
So as much as new general manager John Spytek and coach Pete Carroll bought into a future with Crosby in the fold, he too had to buy into them.
And he has.
And now has the record deal to prove it.
Crosby became the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history Wednesday. The star edge rusher agreed to a three-year, $106.5 million extension with $91 million in guarantees.
Not a bad offseason haul for sure.
The same page
Crosby, Carroll and Spytek all sat in a row answering questions Wednesday. They more than appeared on the same page when it came to a vision for the future.
It’s an important thing, to have your star player so in sync with those making critical decisions. Crosby is a respected voice in the locker room. You don’t want mixed messages being delivered from the top on down.
“We had conversations right out of the gate,” Crosby said of Carroll and Spytek. “Everything was super positive, super competitive. Me and (Carroll), I don’t know if we go a second without competing. I want to be around people who are winners, who are competitive and love the game.
“The new ownership group, everyone included, share a vision to bring a championship to Las Vegas. We have a lot of work to do, but right out of the gate I was very impressed and excited.
“I want to win and I know these guys are all about the same thing.”
The Raiders didn’t have to extend Crosby now. They could have waited. But Spytek and Carroll talked about setting the tone for a new era of Raiders football. And, in their minds, there was no better person to begin with than Crosby.
So, the financial commitment followed. Not, as Spytek said, for what the player has done. Rather, for what he’s going to do and be in the coming years.
They want people who desire being here like Crosby.
Who have his level of hunger.
“It’s not a secret that it hasn’t been sunshine and roses around here,” Spytek said. “When people like Maxx make a commitment like this — he stands for everything coach (Carroll) and I and this new staff talk about. I hope it’s noticed in our locker room. I hope it’s noticed around the league. It just made a lot of sense to do (the extension) now.
“Actions are more than words and Maxx deserves the credit. He’s about chasing championships and so are we.”
Carroll is all about competition. About finding enough competitors to build the Raiders into a winning club. There’s no one more focused on that pursuit than Crosby.
Silver and black
He’s not just a good soundbite. Crosby as much as anyone involved with the Raiders means what he says. He wants to be the best player at his position on the planet. He’s chasing a Hall of Fame career. He envisions wearing silver and black the whole time.
But victories have been sparse during his six seasons. That’s why it was so important he connected with Spytek and Carroll. There is no time to waste. The Raiders have a long way to go.
Being on the same page should only accelerate the process.
“I feel like certain people are meant to be in your life for a reason,” Crosby said. “We all have the same goals and that’s to win. That’s what I’m all about.”
He bought into them from the beginning.
And has now been handsomely rewarded for it.
Ed Graney, a Sigma Delta Chi Award winner for sports column writing, can be reached at [email protected]. He can be heard on “The Press Box,” ESPN Radio 100.9 FM and 1100 AM, from 7 to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday. Follow @edgraney on X.
