When Maxx Crosby was dropping the “I’m sick of this sh*t” in media sessions back in August, you got a front row seat to what makes the Las Vegas Raiders defensive end tick.
“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,” Crosby said in that particular press conference.
There’s not a single player on the roster that works as hard and has limitless drive and stamina as Mad Maxx, and when he talks, it’s apt to listen to the man.
“I’ve made the playoffs one time in five years. It’s bullsh*t,” Crosby said at season’s end. “And we’ve got to figure out what we’re going to do moving forward. And I’m sick of change. I’m sick of losing. I just want stability and f—ing consistency, and that’s all that matters to me. I want to win.”
Maxx Crosby’s sentiments undoubtedly echo Raider Nation’s.
The loyal fan base has been long starved of stability and consistency. When some of it finally appeared, some questionable emails surfaced, and owner Mark Davis was forced to walk his unicorn of a head coach out into the public square and chop its head off. You can likely guess who without name-dropping, yes?
Crosby is so sick of futility that the pass rush phenomenon went full court press and delivered perhaps the most resounding thing he tweeted: #HireAP.
But he didn’t stop there.
Crosby made an emphatic statement about his desire for Antonio Pierce to be hired and named the Raiders head coach by noting on his podcast: “If we go in a different direction, there’s nothing that’s off the table.”
Well, hot damn!
Maxx Crosby made it clear he wants Pierce as #Raiders HC.
“It would be absolutely ridiculous & insane if we didn’t bring back AP.”
“We can’t start from ground zero again … it would be my 5th HC in 5 years. I’m sick of this sh*t … sick of losing.”
(https://t.co/mCYGpFjM5K) pic.twitter.com/WSqTt3gDAJ
— uSTADIUM (@uSTADIUM) January 13, 2024
“Nothing that’s off the table” didn’t dismiss the rumor ‘seek a trade’ if AP isn’t hired that floated around the Twitterverse last week. One could view it as basically reinforcing said innuendo. But alas, here we are in the week following the drawn line in the Las Vegas sand. Crosby isn’t alone in his desire for Pierce to land the gig. Both Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams and running back Josh Jacobs voiced their support for the man known as AP.
It’s all up to Mark Davis (again)…
Davis, who is in the position again to find a general manager and head coach after his decision to make the Patriot Twins—Dave Ziegler and Josh McDaniels—the brain trust and fire them, has another big decision to make. Chances are he’ll very much listen to Crosby and other players. After all, it was the players who voiced their displeasure and concern with Joshy Poo, and that was the catalyst to oust him and Dolph Ziegler. And that led to the interim ascension of both Pierce and Champ Kelly (as GM).
“Let us build this thing and let’s see what we can do with it,” Crosby said on his “The Rush with Maxx Crosby” podcast. “If it doesn’t work, then it doesn’t work, but I believe in him, and I know this s*** is going in the right direction, and I feel like everybody else does as well. So, we got to do what’s right and bring A.P. back and bring Champ back; there’s no question about it.”
While it’s unclear in what direction Davis and the Raiders will eventually go, signs are pointing to Pierce and Kelly returning in their respective roles.
When will that be?
Well, it’ll likely happen after Las Vegas dots the I’s and T’s when it comes to the NFL’s nuance and rules of hiring this offseason.
Namely, the Raiders need to interview two external minority candidates in person before they can officially tap Pierce. The catch here is that potential candidates that are on playoff teams can’t have in-person interviews until January 22, the end of the divisional round.
Las Vegas could skirt this by interviewing the likes of Leslie Frazier (who the team will reportedly interview for the head coach vacancy), a coach who will be out of football in 2024.
The rules that govern GM hires are different, however, and the Raiders have reportedly interviewed a number of candidates for the role, including the Denver Broncos’ Kelly Kleine Van Calligan, the team’s Executive Director of Football Operations and Special Advisor to the General Manager.
According to the tea leaves, the GM hire will come first, then the head coach. So, we’ll see what happens.
But take a look at this:
Living the dream! Caught a shot of Raiders’ finest legendary Richard Seymour, Coach Antonio Pierce, and GM Champ Kelly representing at the MLK parade. @BigSey93 @tashanreed #Raiders #FutureOfTheRaiders pic.twitter.com/BX52SipNIv
— Janee (@JaneeM23) January 15, 2024
That’s Richard Seymour on the left, Pierce in the middle, and Kelly on the right. Seymour sat in on the GM interviews, and yes, while his being with Pierce and Kelly for a MLK Day event is likely a coincidence, is it really?
Back to what the Raiders star said…
Which brings us back to Crosby’s point above: “If it doesn’t work, then it doesn’t work.”
If the Raiders run it back with AP, Kelly, and Crosby and the team gets what they want, it better f—ing work (to take a page out of Crosby’s book).
Good on Crosby for being transparent about his thoughts on what will help the team. If he believes AP is the man to get the Raiders where they want to go, awesome.
If Davis does go with AP and Kelly, he too should be transparent: anything short of the playoffs in 2024 is unacceptable. Davis has every right to be sick of this sh*t, too.
Good on Maxx for speaking up.
I’ll say this: if it’s Champ and AP and #Raiders don’t get into playoffs next season and Maxx doesn’t have 15 sacks, MD has every right to say:
“You demanded this from me, and this is what I get?” pic.twitter.com/xH11nrKcc9
— Ray Leonard Aspuria (@AsukalAspuria) January 13, 2024
*Top Photo: Getty Images