Mad Maxx appears to have calmed down.
Maxx Crosby’s ugly ending with the Raiders last season — making it seem like the team was tanking by shutting him down for the final two games against his will — has given way to cooler heads, and he is in the team facility every day, general manager John Spytek told reporters at the NFL scouting combine.
With all the trade speculation surrounding Crosby, does Spytek anticipate he will play for the Raiders in 2026?
“I do,” Spytek said. “Yes.”
Word circulating in Indianapolis backs up Spytek’s words that the Raiders are resisting any temptation to trade Crosby as they begin a rebuild around presumptive No. 1 overall pick, quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
Maxx Crosby has been mentioned in trade rumors. Getty Images
“Maxx is an elite player, and I’ve been very upfront from the start when I got here that we’re in the business of having really good players on the team,” Spytek said. “And we need a lot more of them.”
Crosby posted videos of himself playing basketball after the Raiders told him that his season was over, suggesting that he felt that he could play the final two games of a lost season. He reportedly underwent successful surgery on a torn meniscus in his knee after the season, proving the Raiders’ point.
The Crosby-Raiders drama took off because the Raiders were competing with several other dead teams, including the Jets and Giants, in the No. 1 pick sweepstakes.
Raiders general manager John Spytek speaking to reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine on Feb. 24, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectThe Jets, who finished with the No. 2 pick, desperately need a Mendoza to reset their franchise, but the Raiders aren’t about to trade out of No. 1.
Crosby has 69.5 sacks over the last seven seasons, including 10 in 15 games while playing through pain last season. Could he bring the Raiders back a Micah Parsons-like package of draft assets?
That might force Spytek to pick up the phone.
“I learned a long time ago, always listen,” he said. “I’m always listening.”
Spytek said that he and Crosby have been in contact since the start of the offseason.
The Raiders’ restart included firing head coach Pete Carroll and replacing him with Super Bowl-winning offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak.
