Maxx Crosby seems to have managed to send a message out before the Las Vegas Raiders could control the narrative. So, is the edge rusher injured, like the team claimed, or not?
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A day after reports surfaced that Crosby left the team facility upset after learning that he would sit out the final two games, the organization issued a formal statement announcing that he has been placed on injured reserve. The team emphasized that the decision followed “deliberate and thorough consultation with multiple top medical professionals.”
“Maxx is the ultimate warrior, and he has fought extremely hard to compete each week with his teammates since injuring his knee midseason,” the statement read. “This decision is in the best interest of both the franchise and the player.” Well, Crosby has replied promptly, albeit indirectly.
Hours after being placed on injured reserve, the Raiders’ star posted multiple photos and videos on social media showing himself playing basketball and jumping on a trampoline. For starters, the visuals showed he isn’t injured, and the posts immediately raised eyebrows across the league.
They fueled speculation that Crosby was healthy enough to finish the season, and intensified accusations that Las Vegas is prioritizing draft position over competition.
The Raiders had issued the statement to fight the mounting skepticism. Las Vegas can secure the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft by losing its final two games, including a pivotal matchup against the New York Giants. That timing, combined with Crosby’s visible frustration and social media activity, has made it difficult to separate medical reality from strategy.
Crosby initially injured his left knee on October 19 against Kansas City. However, he has played through the issue for weeks, often without practicing fully.
🚨TROUBLE IN LAS VEGAS: Maxx Crosby posted multiple photos and videos of himself jumping on a trampoline and playing basketball.
Crosby was placed on IR by the team because of a “lingering knee injury” & Maxx was very angry about that 😳
Maxx is healthy:pic.twitter.com/w5kmozy7Mu https://t.co/cj4pjUcyf2
— MLFootball (@MLFootball) December 28, 2025
An MRI earlier this week revealed lingering damage that could present long-term risks if left untreated. League sources say Crosby is expected to require knee surgery that would sideline him into the offseason. So is there a beef brewing?
Head coach Pete Carroll attempted to downplay reports of a confrontation, saying he spoke with Crosby multiple times the day the decision was made. Carroll described the reaction as understandable disappointment rather than a blowup.
“He knows he’s banged up,” Carroll said. “Each week, he’s done everything you could possibly imagine to be out there. But after the evaluation, it just looked too bad.”
Despite the injury, Crosby turned in another elite season, recording 10 sacks in 15 games. It was his fourth double-digit sack campaign. He also managed two forced fumbles, six passes defended, one interception, and 73 total tackles.
Crosby signed a three-year, $106.5 million extension last March, but the combination of draft positioning, mixed messaging, and public frustration has once again placed the Raiders’ long-term direction under the microscope. His situation has drawn comparisons to Derek Carr’s final days with the franchise in 2022, when he was sent home late in the season before being released months later.
For now, the Raiders maintain that Crosby’s shutdown is strictly medical. But could his recent posts suggest that the decision was about far more than just a lingering knee injury?
