Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby has a bone to pick with ex-NFL executive Michael Lombardi and “The Pat McAfee Show.”
On Sunday, Crosby returned to the field after missing the first game of his NFL career due to injury in Week 4. The 27-year-old immediately made his presence felt against the Denver Broncos, registering two sacks and three solo tackles in a 34-18 loss.
Speaking to reporters following the game, Crosby shot down hearsay suggesting that there was a growing rift between him and Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce. “Everybody knows my intentions and they try to speak for me when, —-, if you speak to me and you know what’s going on then we can have a conversation,” he said.
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“But don’t speak on my name when you don’t know what the —- is going on. These guys know I’ll take a bullet for them, everyone in this locker room.”
Rumors regarding Crosby’s alleged unhappiness with the Raiders were floated by Lombardi – whose son, Mick, briefly served as Las Vegas’ offensive coordinator – and Pat McAfee on a recent episode of the latter’s ESPN show.
Addressing Crosby’s decision not to attend the Raiders’ home game versus the Cleveland Browns, Lombardi said: “That bothers me. That tells me there’s something going on in the locker room.
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Pat McAfee and Michael Lombardi speculated that there could be trouble behind the scenes of the Raiders (
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“There seems to be more than one disconnect. Crosby has always been the team guy, but when he doesn’t show up to a game, that tells me something without knowing something.”
While Crosby conceded that it was hard being away from his teammates last week, he asserted that his absence from the sideline allowed him to recover in time for the Raiders’ matchup with the Broncos.
“Then I have to hear these clowns talking online and talking on ‘The Pat McAfee Show’ saying something is going on,” Crosby griped. “And they’re speaking for me saying I should be on the sideline when I got a high-ankle sprain.
“These clowns are sitting on a couch talking about what I should be doing. When the reality is I’m gaining yardage and trying to get right so I can get back on the field.”
Though Crosby is no stranger to dealing with rumors about him, he admitted that he still gets annoyed when others try to put words in his mouth. “I get bothered by that because you know I take a lot of heat, and I can do it … I’ve been through that,” he added.
“But don’t speak about me when you don’t know what’s going on and you’re speaking for me or speaking about the organization. ‘Oh, something must be going on with Maxx.’ Come on, bro. You know where I want to be. You think I want to be anywhere else? No. I have this —- tatted on my body. I don’t want to go anywhere.”
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