Will it ever end?
After a month or so of relative silence on the front of Maxx Crosby's reported beef with the Las Vegas Raiders after the team sidelined him for the end of the 2025 NFL season, pre-Super Bowl LX media sessions burst the floodgates wide back open again. The rumor mill is spinning at an all-time high.
First, Dianna Russini and Jay Glazer said that he wanted out. Then Ashton Jeanty begged him to stay while other players around the league recruited him. Trade ideas began circulating, and Crosby barely shut down the rumors, if at all. Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport then reported conflicting things.
The consensus seems to be that something is rumbling behind the scenes, but it is unknown exactly what. Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, however, added another new facet to the story by opening a massive can of worms about Crosby's relationship with Tom Brady and... Alex Guerrero?
Albert Breer believes Maxx Crosby's Raiders beef is with Alex Guerrero
That's right, Alex Guerrero, the Raiders' "Wellness Coordinator" and a longtime trainer, business partner and friend of Brady's. Breer spoke on Early Edition and broke down exactly what he's heard regarding how Guerrero's presence and approach have ruined the relationship in Las Vegas.
"My understanding is the cup of coffee this morning between Crosby and Klint went well. But I don't think it materially changed anything. There's a lot of fence-mending that's going to need to happen if the Raiders are going to hang on to Maxx Crosby," Breer said. "It goes all the way to the top of the organization with Tom Brady and Alex Guerrero. The way the communication happened with the injury in December left a mark.
"This is a guy who's incredibly loyal to the Raiders organization, wanted to spend his entire career there, and is loyal to Mark Davis as well. Now, he feels betrayed.
"He was part of communicating the Raiders' decision, and why they made the decision to shut him down in December, which really angered Maxx," Breer added. "I believe the day was (December) 23 when they had some scans done, and the Raiders basically told him after the scans, 'We're gonna shut you down for the season.'
"Maxx had strong suspicion that the reason they were doing it was to tank for the No. 1 overall pick, which worked," Breer said. "But the communication of it got fouled up. And a lot of people in that building report to Alex Guerrero now, and Alex is seen as the eyes and ears of Tom Brady internally."
Whew. That is a lot to unpack.
Reports have always circulated about Guerrero being Brady's proxy in the building in Las Vegas, and if Crosby feels like everyone conspired against him to make him sit out, it is understandable why he is so frustrated with the organization.
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Crosby, by all accounts, seems to be right about the Raiders trying to lock in the No. 1 pick. But what is so wrong with that? Finally, Las Vegas is on the cusp of having an ever-elusive young head coach and quarterback combo. They could soon be turning things around. Now he reportedly wants out?
Raiders fans hadn't even conceived of Guerrero being an issue in the building, even though, on some level, he was more involved than just being a medical consultant or trainer. His job title is ambiguous for a reason.
But for Crosby to be that upset at one person in particular about him being shut down for the season is a bit bizarre. It does, however, sort of play into another report that surfaced from Jason LaCanfora earlier this week, which said that Crosby told Brady specifically that he was done with the franchise.
Fans thought Crosby was upset with the Raiders' leadership, in particular, Spytek and Brady, who are seemingly running the entire football operation now. But for him to end his long tenure with the team because of a beef with the Wellness Coordinator would be as crazy as it gets.
What a fascinating new angle that Breer added to this apparently never-ending saga as it pertains to Crosby's future in Las Vegas. But with Brady as a minority owner, Guerrero isn't going anywhere. So Crosby needs to mend the fences with him or find a way to move on.
Otherwise, he'll be gone, whether it is the organization's choice or the front office granting him his wish.