Maxx Crosby has enjoyed a ton of individual success in his still-burgeoning pro career. The Las Vegas Raiders defensive end has piled up 231 tackles and 37.5 sacks in his four seasons in the pros.
He’s been recognized for his production with two Pro Bowl nods, one All-Pro selection, and was recently selected as the No. 17 overall player in the league on the NFL’s Top 100 Players of 2023.
What Crosby’s lacked to this point in his career is team success. The Raiders have a combined record of 31-35 in the past four years. Their lone winning season ended in a disappointing, one-and-done playoff appearance.
Crosby expressed how fed up he was with subpar finishes to reporters recently, per Pro Football Talk.
Maxx Crosby Sounds Off on Raiders Playoff Woes
“You know, for me, I just worry about the day. I’m worried about getting better today and then tomorrow when it gets here, I’m worried about that,” Crosby said in his press conference. “Every single day I come in here, I think about winning. I don’t do this year-round to come in and not make the playoffs — I’m sick of that s–t. And I want to keep winning.”
Video: #Raiders Pass-Rusher Maxx Crosby told media: "I'm sick of this sh-t.", and wants to make the playoffs
“Every single day, I come in here, I think about winning. I don’t do this year ‘round to come and not make the playoffs. I’m sick of that sh-t.”pic.twitter.com/hMTvQUZaa9
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) August 10, 2023
Crosby’s sentiments shouldn’t be too surprising. One doesn’t get to the NFL, let alone to the upper tier where Crosby resides, without being ultra-competitive. No one in Vegas is gonna be disappointed to learn that he approaches every season with a playoffs-or-bust mentality.
Now, whether or not his playoff dreams will come to fruition in 2023 remains to be seen. The Raiders are currently projected to win just 6.5 games this year, per BetMGM.
A lot of that has to do with the division and conference they reside in. They’ll have to see two playoff teams, the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers, twice apiece next season.
They also have matchups with returning playoff teams in the Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings, and San Francisco 49ers, as well as playoff hopefuls like the Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, and Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Raiders aren’t devoid of talent. They have stars like Josh Jacobs, Davante Adams, Crosby, Chandler Jones, and Marcus Peters littered throughout their roster.
But there are questions about how Jimmy Garoppolo — who is returning from injury — will fare in his first year under center with a new team and whether or not Jacobs will ultimately show up, as he’s currently embroiled in a standoff with the team regarding the franchise tag.
At least the Raiders can count on Crosby and his burning desire to get to the postseason as a constant.
“I want to get back in the playoffs. I want to be in Cincinnati on the road in a hostile environment — that’s why I play the game. That’s why I work the way I work. I come here, and I do this all year. And, like I said, I want to win championships. I want to be at the top of the game. I want to be the No. 1 guy, regardless of position. But I work for that every single day.”