The Maxx Crosby saga that saw him sent to the Ravens in an agreed-upon trade before reverting back to the Raiders when Baltimore backed out of the deal was one of the most dramatic developments the NFL has seen in years.
It was a wild ride for all involved, from the fans on the outside looking in to the decision makers pulling the strings, but it was Crosby who was most directly affected, experiencing it front and center as everything transpired.
The five-time Pro Bowl pass rusher spoke about the experience Tuesday on his podcast, , giving an impressively in-depth play-by-play of the trade falling through from his perspective.
"I mean I've gone through some s--- in my life, I can't lie," Crosby said. "But that whole situation was probably one of the most unique, crazy, wild, up-and-down roller coasters I've ever been a part of for about five days, I would say. It was crazy."
Crosby, who the day after the Ravens nixed the trade that he was celebrating six years sober, has certainly been through plenty.
In the offseason following his second-place finish in Rookie of the Year voting as a 2020 fourth-round pick, Crosby checked himself into rehab for substance abuse issues. He persevered, and since 2021 has not missed a Pro Bowl, becoming one of the league's most unstoppable pass rushers with 69.5 career sacks through seven seasons. It's that resilience that gives him confidence he'll continue to perform after bizarrely boomeranging from Las Vegas to Baltimore and back again.
"I don't play for that external stuff," Crosby said. "I play the game because I love it, because it's my passion since I was a child. I play for my legacy. I play to win. I play for my teammates. It just made that s--- even more clear. … You think this s--- was hard? It was a lot, but I've been through way worse in my life. I've been through real adversity a million times over."
His heroics and never-ending engine made him a perfect Raider, but Las Vegas' timeline to compete -- plus Crosby becoming disgruntled with the Raiders shutting him down for the final two games on the 2025 season due to a knee injury -- opened the door for an exit.
The Ravens walked through it with the offer of two first-round picks on March 6, a good enough haul for the rebuilding Raiders to move on from the face of their franchise. The trade could not be agreed to until the start of the league year on March 11, but for the next few days, the Ravens, Raiders and rest of the league proceeded as if a deal was done. It was an especially important mindset to consider during the free-agent negotiating window from March 9-10, when Las Vegas went on a spend spree, having unloaded a large salary and Baltimore spent like a team preparing for Crosby's $35.8 million cap hit to hit the books.
But then, on the evening of March 10, the Raiders announced Baltimore had "backed out" of the trade. NFL Network Insider Mike Garafolo reported the decision was due to medical reasons shortly thereafter.
Crosby, who underwent a meniscus repair this offseason, said on his podcast Tuesday that the energy felt off meeting general manager Eric DeCosta. The Ravens eventually told him one of the doctors was concerned with the testing results regarding his knee and his future. Baltimore wanted "more and more opinions"; he was "terrified and wondering if something was wrong," particularly about if he might require another surgery.
Upon Crosby learning of the trade's reversal, anger entered the mix.
"I'm f------ livid, confused, the whole nine, all in one," he said.
But in the time since, he's found assurance from his doctor, Neal ElAttrache, who performed his surgery, and comfort in returning to a place he began and -- even immediately after the trade was initially announced -- hoped to end his career.
Crosby said ElAttrache spoke to him on the phone in the aftermath and told him the following: "You're doing everything right, everything's going well, we're going to keep sticking to the plan -- you will be back by training camp."
Of returning to the Silver and Black, he added: "S--- happens for a reason, I know exactly who I am -- I'm healthy, I'm f------ crushing my rehab, I'm doing what I'm doing. I wasn't supposed to be in Baltimore, and that's it. I'm meant to be a Raider -- it's through my damn core. And that's it; you know what I mean? I'll leave it simple as that."
Crosby is somewhat remarkably rejoining a Raiders team likely more ready to compete than the one he left for less than a week. Las Vegas is primed to pick a franchise quarterback with the No. 1 pick in April's draft, potentially Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza. The club signed center Tyler Linderbaum away from Baltimore to protect its future quarterback, and Crosby will be surrounded by a slew of defensive newcomers such as Kwity Paye, Nakobe Dean, Quay Walker and Taron Johnson, all of whom still fit in the Raiders' finances despite Las Vegas unexpectedly keeping Crosby's contract.
Perhaps the Raiders would not have splurged so excessively had they not first agreed to trade Crosby, but such hypotheticals make no matter to Crosby, nor do the inner workings of a blockbuster that was not to be.
"This is the thing; everyone's got their own theory -- conspiracy theory -- no one really will ever admit, either side, what the real truth is or whatever," Crosby said. "Ultimately, it doesn't even matter. I am where I'm supposed to be. I know that."
