Shaking off the losses this season has been difficult for star Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby.
During a conversation this week on SiriusXM’s “Let’s Go!” podcast with Jim Gray and Peter King, the three-time Pro Bowler expanded on his mindset amid another disappointing season that has seen the Raiders slide to 2-10 with five games remaining.
“Of course, I’m competitive as they come. I put all my time and effort and spirit and soul into this, into being the best version of myself,” Crosby, 27, said, as transcribed by NFL.com.
“I care about winning more than anything on the planet. So, yeah, there were points in the season where I feel like I was losing my mind. I had to really reset.”
Although the 2024 Raiders finished September with a 2-2 record, the losses have continued to pile up with Las Vegas currently riding an eight-game skid.
The latest defeat came Friday, a 19-17 loss to the Chiefs that ended with an early snap debacle that cost Las Vegas a chance at an upset.
Crosby, who has been on the team since 2019 when he was taken in the fourth round of the NFL draft, was at the center of trade buzz before the deadline this fall.
Despite mounting speculation surrounding Crosby’s future in Las Vegas, Raiders owner Mark Davis put those rumors to rest in late October, telling ESPN in an email, “We’re Not Trading Maxx Crosby. Before Or After The Trade Deadline!!!”
Amid the adversity that has plagued the Raiders in their first full year under head coach Antonio Pierce, Crosby believes it’s his duty to be a steady hand as a leader on the team.
He has 7.5 sacks spanning 11 games.
“The best version of me is not just being a great player but a great leader and being the best version of myself, bringing positivity,” Crosby said, per NFL.com.
“Cause I can sit around and be negative and be like everybody else in the world right now. … If I live in that, I’m just like everybody else and I’m not like everybody else. I feel like I’m here for a reason, and I could fall into that trap and be part of the crowd or I can be a leader. And that’s what I choose to be. It’s a choice. And of course, [the losing] sucks, but I’m going to be the best version of me every single day going forward.”
Though officially eliminated from playoff contention, the Raiders have a chance to finish the season strong, starting with Sunday’s clash in Tampa against the Buccaneers.
However, Las Vegas is currently tied with the Giants and Jaguars for the worst record in the NFL and the accompanying No. 1 pick.