5:40pm: Crosby received two alternative opinions on his injury, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reports. Both of them indicated he could continue playing provided his pain threshold was high enough. Instead of delaying surgery (which was always going to be necessary) for another two weeks, Crosby’s attention will now turn to recovery.
2:52pm: One day after shutting down Maxx Crosby for the season, the Raiders announced that they have placed the star defensive end on injured reserve. Crosby will undergo a meniscus trim in the offseason, but he should recover quickly, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
As part of a lengthy statement, the Raiders said: “After deliberate and thorough consultation with multiple top medical professionals, it became clear that this decision is in the best interest of both the franchise and the player. Maxx is the ultimate warrior, and he has fought extremely hard to compete each week with his teammates since injuring his knee mid-season. We are grateful for his extraordinary contributions. He is a true Raider on and off the field — we look forward to his leadership and toughness into 2026 and beyond.”
Crosby was displeased with the Raiders on Friday after they informed him he wouldn’t play against the Giants on Sunday. The Raiders already sent their best offensive player, Brock Bowers, to IR earlier in the week ahead of a matchup between 2-13 teams. The loser will enter Week 18 in pole position to land the No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft. That doesn’t matter to Crosby.
“Yeah, I don’t give a s— about the pick, to be honest,” Crosby said earlier in the week. “I don’t play for that. That’s not my job. My job is to be the best defensive end in the world. Being a great leader, being an influence.”
Despite injuring his left knee in Week 7, Crosby logged perfect attendance in the Raiders’ first 15 games and earned his fifth Pro Bowl invitation. He’ll end his season with 73 tackles, 53 pressures and 10 sacks – his fourth double-digit total in seven years.
While Crosby would’ve liked to finish the season and build on those numbers, he underwent an MRI on Tuesday that showed his injury had persisted, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. Worried about Crosby potentially suffering long-term damage, the Raiders are shelving him for the rest of the year. They addressed their concerns with him after that, per Schefter. Head coach Pete Carroll revealed he and Crosby spoke “four times” on Friday.
“I agree with him 1,000 percent on how he responded, and I [would have] responded the same way,” Carroll said of Crosby’s reaction to Friday’s news.
There’s some question as to whether Carroll will return for a second season in 2026. Regardless of whether that happens, the Raiders’ statement suggests they’re committed to keeping Crosby next year. Crosby was popular in trade rumors last offseason, but the Raiders put an end to those in handing him a three-year, $106.5MM extension with $91.5MM guaranteed in March. He’s under wraps through 2029 as a result.
With Crosby’s season officially over, the Raiders signed defensive end Jahfari Harvey from their practice squad to their active roster in a corresponding move. They also elevated running back Chris Collier and wide receiver Phillip Dorsett from their taxi squad.