Maxx Crosby is back with the Las Vegas Raiders, and he’s bringing an extra layer of motivation. The star defensive end broke his silence Tuesday on the stunning five-day saga that saw him traded to the Baltimore Ravens, only for the deal to be rescinded due to concerns over his physical exam.
“I just feel like I’m meant to be a Raider and that’s it,” Crosby said on his podcast “The Rush.” “This just adds another chip to my shoulder that I didn’t know I needed and didn’t know was coming. It’s going to be an incredible year.”
The Ravens backed out of the trade after Crosby underwent imaging that focused on areas where he has suffered past injuries, including a torn meniscus that required surgery in January. Crosby said his surgeon, Dr. Neal ElAttrache, assured him his recovery was on schedule and that the Ravens had been fully informed beforehand.
“I was terrified, because I’m thinking, ‘What the (expletive),’” Crosby recalled. “Neal is my guy. He’s the best. I hadn’t talked to him or my agent, so I’m freaking out.”
The timeline began Friday, March 6, when Crosby received simultaneous calls from his agent and Raiders general manager John Spytek informing him of the trade. He had a large group of friends and family in town for his six-year sober anniversary celebration the next day.
“I didn’t know how to react. I was in shock,” Crosby said. “It’s a mixture of excitement, shock, the unknown. All those things hit you at once.”
After flying to Baltimore on Monday, Crosby reported to the Ravens facility Tuesday morning. He requested a meeting with head coach Jesse Minter, who delivered the news that the team’s doctors had concerns.
“I dap him up and you could tell the energy was off,” Crosby said. “He had a blank face. … He sat me down and said, ‘I don’t know how to say this, but one of our doctors has concerns with the results.’”
By Tuesday night, Crosby learned the trade was off. He and his wife quickly packed, took a private jet arranged by the Ravens back to Las Vegas, and he was back at the Raiders facility before 6 a.m. Wednesday.
“People expect it to be weird or nervous, but everything happens for a reason,” Crosby said. “I know exactly who I am. I’m healthy and crushing my rehab. I’m meant to be a Raider and that’s it. Simple as that.”
Crosby declined to speculate on whether the Ravens backed out simply to sign free agent Trey Hendrickson, who quickly agreed to a similar deal after the trade fell through. “Everyone has their own conspiracy theory,” he said. “Nobody will ever admit on either side what the real truth is and ultimately, it doesn’t matter. I am where I’m supposed to be. I know that.”
Now reunited with the Raiders, who have made several key free-agent additions, Crosby is eager to prove his health and silence critics. “There’s a ton of doctors out there, for sure,” he said. “But we don’t need to give them that attention. They don’t deserve it.”
