news-engine

Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby is paid to make opposing quarterbacks miserable. Apparently, somebody forgot to emphasize the word “opposing.” Crosby hit Kirk Cousins twice during Friday’s training camp practice. The second contact struck Cousins’ throwing arm, prompting the veteran quarterback to confront Crosby, shove him and grab his jersey. Teammates stepped in before the situation went any further. Las Vegas held both players out of Saturday’s practice for violating team rules. That was fair. Pretending both players were equally responsible would not be. The Raiders edge rusher created the entire situation by doing something he knew was prohibited. Raiders HC Klint Kubiak told reporters that Kirk Cousins and Maxx Crosby are being held out of practice today for violating team rules for fighting Friday. https://t.co/0p1VE5w4yo — Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 8, 2026 Raiders Edge Rusher Maxx Crosby’s Reckless Practice Stunt Deserves More Than a Slap on the Wrist Maxx Crosby put his own quarterback in danger Quarterbacks are protected during training camp. Every player understands that getting close enough to disrupt a play is acceptable. Finishing the hit is not. Crosby is entering his eighth NFL season. He did not misunderstand the rules. The Raiders edge rusher reportedly made contact with Cousins twice. The first hit should have ended it. Instead, Crosby went back for another serving of stupidity and struck the arm of a quarterback who turns 38 in August. Cousins is expected to start while rookie Fernando Mendoza develops behind him. Losing Cousins to a preventable practice injury would affect the entire Raiders season. Crosby loves talking about his nonstop motor and inability to switch off his competitive side. That sounds wonderful in promotional videos. It is a lousy excuse for hitting a teammate who is protected by practice rules. This was not toughness. It was selfishness wearing shoulder pads. Cousins had every reason to be furious Cousins should not have shoved Crosby or grabbed his jersey. Starting a physical confrontation gave the coaching staff little choice but to discipline him. His anger was still justified. What was Cousins supposed to do after the Raiders edge rusher hit him a second time? Ask nicely and hope Crosby suddenly remembered they played for the same team? Cousins stood up for himself because nobody stopped the behavior after the first hit. His reaction also exposed a larger problem. The Raiders cannot preach quarterback protection and then shrug when their most prominent defender ignores the rule. Las Vegas’ offensive linemen should be furious. Their job is to keep Cousins upright. The Raiders edge rusher turned a normal practice into a situation where the quarterback had to defend himself. The Raiders cannot protect Crosby from accountability Crosby is the emotional center of the defense and one of the NFL’s best players. That status brings responsibility. It should not provide immunity. If a rookie hit Cousins twice, coaches and veteran teammates would tear into him during the next meeting. The Raiders edge rusher should face the same treatment. Frankly, Crosby should be held to a higher standard because he presents himself as one of the team’s leaders. Head coach Klint Kubiak made the correct decision by holding both players out Saturday. He also needs to establish that another incident will bring stronger consequences. A fine or additional missed practice time would be completely reasonable. Crosby’s aggression is valuable when an opponent is standing across from him. When it threatens his own quarterback, it becomes a liability. The Raiders edge rusher does not need to become less intense. He needs to learn the difference between competing hard and behaving like a reckless Neanderthal.