The Las Vegas Raiders and Tennessee Titans met in Week 6 of the 2025 NFL season in a matchup that featured two 2024 Heisman Trophy finalists and top-six picks in this year's NFL Draft: first overall pick Cam Ward and sixth overall pick Ashton Jeanty.
While each player accounted for a touchdown, neither one had a particularly great game. Las Vegas' defense was able to neutralize Ward, holding him to 222 passing yards, one touchdown and one interception. They also sacked him six times and forced him into two additional turnovers via fumble.
Maxx Crosby was a big part of that defensive success, as two of the sacks belonged to him, along with three solo tackles, two tackles for loss and three quarterback hits. While he trolled the rookie quarterback during the game, the two-time All-Pro had high praise for Ward after.
Raiders star Maxx Crosby shares his verdict on Cam Ward
Ward gave Crosby the ultimate compliment following Sunday's matchup, labeling him as one of the best defensive ends in the world. The four-time Pro Bowler returned the love during the latest episode of his podcast, The Rush With Maxx Crosby, while sharing why he trolled the rookie.
"I love the way he plays the game... He's a hell of a competitor, and I love his attitude, and you know he wants to win really badly, and he's going to have a great career. Guys like that, you can just tell they're wired the right way, and he's going to get better and better. I know he has his legendary celebration, but in the back of my head, I'm like, I'm going to hit it at some point. The first time I (sacked him), I was just so hyped because I needed that sack. You go a game or whatever without a sack, it's an out-of-body experience. I pull the arrow back out," Crosby said. "But at the end, I was already on my talking my (expletive), just in my bag, talking my (expletive), talking my (expletive), and I'm like, I got to go get him, and then I got him. ... I definitely respect the hell out of him. He's going to be a great player in this league. I definitely like to do my little trolling from time to time and just talking my (expletive)."
Crosby then compared Ward to two-time MVP quarterback of the Kansas City Chiefs, Patrick Mahomes, whom the Raiders will face in Week 7.
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"He does his arm angles and he's one of those guys, he reminds me of Mahomes in this way, where he'll hold the ball until the last possible second," Crosby said. "A lot of quarterbacks feel the heat and they just get rid of it. He'll wait and wait and wait and wait and you're like, okay, is he really going to hold this (expletive)? And you'll get to get an extra hit but he's just trying to make a play and you got to respect that because a lot of quarterbacks don't want to get hit like that and he doesn't give a damn. He's just trying to win."
Ward has plenty of work to do until his full game is comparable to Mahomes, who is widely considered to be the greatest quarterback of this generation. Through six games, he has posted just 1,101 yards, three touchdowns and four interceptions while completing just 55.0% of his passes.
The Titans have failed to provide the young quarterback with adequate weapons to truly judge the start of his career, however. Despite his struggles against the Raiders, and Crosby trolling him with his signature celebration that has taken the league by storm, the All-Pro still believes that Ward has unlimited potential.