The Rise of a Condor: Maxx Crosby is Now the Face of the Raiders

Maxx Crosby during New England Patriots v Las Vegas Raiders in 2022
Maxx Crosby during New England Patriots v Las Vegas Raiders in 2022 / Ethan Miller/GettyImages
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Maxx Crosby
2023 NFL Pro Bowl Games / Michael Owens/GettyImages

Maxx Crosby is the Face of the Raiders Franchise

Now in 2023, he’s more than a Pro Bowl player and a team captain – he is the face of an NFL franchise. While no one is bigger than the shield, Maxx Crosby is the Las Vegas Raiders right now. With so many leaders departing the team and many new players coming in, he remains a constant, foundational piece that they’ll build everything around. This isn’t something that was handed to him. This is something he earned on and off the field.

After only four seasons, it’s already hard to look at the Raiders history books without seeing his name. He is the all-time Raiders leader in QB Hits (a stat recorded since 2006), ahead of Khalil Mack. He’s only 3 tackles for loss behind Mack for that title, a stat recorded since 1999. He also just cracked the top 10 for most forced fumbles in Raiders history. And he’s just a handful of sacks away from passing Mack and Ted Hendricks for top 10 in career sacks.

The condor is a scavenger bird. It travels up to 160 miles just to prey upon dead things. It’s in constant pursuit, like Maxx Crosby hunting down a quarterback. He’s done it as well as any Raiders player in recent decades.

He's also 70 sacks away from the all-time Raiders sack record – 107.5 set by Greg Townsend from 1983-1997. Crosby currently averages 9.3 sacks per season. At this pace, he will earn the record halfway through the 2030 season. If he’s lucky to have the longevity of a condor, which is one of the longest-living birds on the planet, he will be the team’s sack king.

Maxx Crosby is everything it means to be a Raiders football player. He was a part of the changing culture at his college football program after decades of losing, and he will be a major part of the changing culture in the Raiders organization after decades of losing. The career stats and highlight reel are impressive, but his relentless determination and his character are why he’s the face of the Silver and Black.

Family, especially fatherhood, along with football are his focuses. And when Maxx Crosby is focused on something, it’s been proven that he excels.

He's someone you can think of, when you’re dealing with your own life challenges, to draw inspiration from. That’s how powerful his own prosperity is. He’s exactly who you want representing your organization. He’s exactly who you want to be there when things turn around. If the rest of the locker room can follow the Condor’s lead, Raiders Headquarters will be a better place for it.