The Las Vegas Raiders and Maxx Crosby have been at the center of the NFL since the start of the offseason. This has especially been the case with the Baltimore Ravens trade saga. The collapsed trade resulted in a lot of people putting out reactions for an NFL world that didn’t come to be.
One of those people is Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton, who was quick to rejoice at the idea of Crosby leaving the AFC West. When it was announced that Las Vegas agreed to send the star to the Ravens, Payton called NFL insider Jay Glazer to express his excitement for the news.
The veteran head coach revealed to Glazer that he even went so far as to message Crosby himself, and Payton told him he’d pay for a private, one-way flight to get Crosby to Baltimore and out of the division.
Sean Payton’s joke about Maxx Crosby leaving backfired, as the defender is back with Raiders
Well, guess what, Sean Payton? Crosby’s private flight to Baltimore ended up being round trip. He’s back in Las Vegas and ready to continue frustrating Payton twice a year when the Raiders take on Denver.
Payton, like everyone else, thought Crosby was for sure joining the Ravens. And why wouldn't he? Rarely do blockbuster trades like this not go through at the last second, especially after days of free agency have played out.
While the head coach was complimentary of the star defender, messaging Crosby that he is “an inspiration to watch and compete against,” Raiders fans didn’t really take well to Payton essentially gloating at one of the franchise’s saddest moments.
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However, it’s Raiders fans who got the last laugh, as this confusing saga has brought Crosby back to the team — seemingly for good. The thing that fans can really rejoice about, and what should terrify Payton, is that Crosby is sticking around for what’s shaping up to be a much better team in 2026.
In addition to the exciting coaching staff the franchise put together, Las Vegas absolutely attacked the start of free agency, making several impactful additions on both sides of the ball. The Raiders also still have the resources to add more players, and they also have the 2026 Draft, where they’re equipped with the No. 1 overall pick.
So while Sean Payton is paying attention to what Las Vegas has going on, he should be getting prepared for a team that’s building to snatch the AFC West away from his Denver Broncos.