Nothing guarantees what the future holds for star Las Vegas Raiders edge defender Maxx Crosby.
He hopes it could involve working with Future, however. More on that in a moment.
It has been a wild few months for Crosby, even if he’s able to downplay the chaos.
He’s not only been rehabbing from knee surgery, the eighth procedure on his body in his seven NFL seasons, but also he was at the forefront of one of the wildest voided trades in recent memory when the Baltimore Ravens shipped him back to the Raiders after growing concerned about his physical.
That’s the official story.
But Crosby, whose media advocates leaked his interest in being traded during Super Bowl week, insists he’s happy being back with the Raiders and ready to move forward after seeing the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. Or purpler? You get the point.
“This has been an amazing offseason,” Crosby said. “I know the biggest pet peeve of mine is when people see me and they’re like, ‘Man, you good?’ and I’m like, ‘I’ve never been better.’ Honestly and I don’t just say that just to say it, I truly mean it and believe it. I have great people around me. My circle’s never been tighter and I go to war with two to three foxhole guys, I don’t need 15 people with me. I’ve got the right people around me, truly, and it’s extremely special.”
The experience led him to a peace and a greater appreciation and comfort level with his inner circle.
“I faced a ton of adversity,” he said. “There’s been a lot of bullets flying in my direction. And truly, you figure out who you are in those type of moments. And everyone has a different quote about pressure makes diamonds and all these different things and sayings and things like that, but ultimately, it’s real.
“Whenever it’s really going on, you figure out who you are, and you have a choice, you can fold or you can respond. And I know myself. I’m not working to just come back, I’m coming back better, and that’s my mindset.”
Nothing guarantees he will be with the Raiders at the end of this year. It’s not a slam dunk he will be on the roster when the season starts. The trade of Cleveland Browns star Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams last week set the market and laid down the gauntlet for other teams to try to compete.
Some contender could blow away the Raiders with an offer. But for now, Crosby is with the only organization he’s known and the one whose logo is tattooed on his body.
And he’s content, which is a good thing for him and the Raiders. Perhaps it’s why he’s reached a point of feeling comfortable enough to share his other passions with the world.
While wrecking offensive lines and destroying quarterbacks’ plans comes natural to Crosby, there is something more vulnerable about performing and putting out his music.
About exposing his soul through the words he writes down on paper and then raps into a microphone.
“I’ve been doing this since high school,” said Crosby, who writes or freestyles all of his own songs. “So, yeah, finally I was like, ‘Screw it, I’m dropping music.’”
He has put out several singles this summer, including “2AM in Vegas,” “PlaqueBoyMaxx” and “Double R.”
As far as athlete rappers go, he’s got some bars.
Crosby said his passion for music began in high school when he and his friends would record music as a way of staying out of trouble. For much of his career, despite his success and popularity, something held him back from putting his soul out for the world to see.
That’s no longer the case.
“I used to in the past, try to do everything by the book, and try to do everything — ‘How is everyone going to take this?’” he said. “But I’ve had these songs that I wanted to release for a long time, and I’m like, ‘I really don’t care what anyone has to say, to be honest.’ I know what I do on a daily basis. People are going to have their comments, people are going to be negative, people are going to be positive, but ultimately it’s what I love and I do it as a passion. It’s an escape for me.
“I think a lot of people like it, a lot of people can say whatever, but I think it’s ultimately just cool to finally just be like, ‘I don’t care, I’m dropping the music.’ If you don’t like it, it is what it is.”
It’s a big step for Crosby, who says he would like to collaborate with popular rapper Future on a project at some point.
For now, he’s in tune with himself and the Raiders.
Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.
