The Las Vegas Raiders made the decision to rule out star defensive end Maxx Crosby for their Week 17 game against the New York Giants. According to multiple reports, Crosby was not happy about the decision, and he wanted to play.
He left the Raiders’ facility after getting the news. According to head coach Pete Carroll, Crosby has been shut down for the rest of the season, but isn’t upset with how he repsonded.
“No, matter of fact, I anticipated it all the way throughout,” Carroll said of Crosby’s reaction on Friday. “… He’s just been fighting his (expletive) off the whole time. He’s positioned himself implcably. As good a competitor as you can be. You can’t battle more than he’s battled.”
Carroll also revealed that the news that Crosby will be shut down for the rest of the season, which means he won’t play against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 18. The coach didn’t reveal if Crosby will be placed on Injured Reserve, but it sounds like his season will be over.
Crosby’s future with the team could be murky, but it’s easy to understand why the Raiders would shut him down amid a 2-13 season.
Carroll Discusses Crosby’s Reaction
Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer reported that Crosby “vehemently disagreed” with the decision and left the Raiders’ building. Glazer also noted that this puts his future with the franchise in question.
Carroll was asked to describe Crosby’s reaction to the news, and it sounds like the defensive end wasn’t exactly thrilled.
“The competitor that he is … we’ve been talking about this for a couple of days,” Carroll said. “This didn’t just spring on him. It was exactly like you would think he would do, and he and he should do, and I agree with him 1,000% on how he responded, and I responded the same way, and I get it.”
Carroll Recently Called Crosby An Inspiration
The Raiders didn’t want to shut down Crosby. He’s the face of the franchise, and the last thing they want to do is upset him.
Carroll recently had some very high praise for Crosby, who was named to the Pro Bowl this season.
“He’s a great inspiration,” Carroll said of Crosby Monday, “and I don’t talk about this much because I wasn’t here when Maxx was first here, but he’s been through a lot and he’s overcome a tremendous amount of challenge in his life, and he has formulated the kind of plan of how he lives and how he operates that is just emblematic of all that you could hope somebody could do.
“And so, when he gets his opportunities and he makes those plays, again, it’s just another statement that he’s here for real and he’s the real deal and all that. It means a tremendous amount to the players. His words and his intentions and his expressions of by the way he plays, couldn’t be more crucial to inspiring people and our teammates in particular.”
Crosby could still be in the Raiders’ future plans, but this situation certainly makes things more interesting heading into the offseason.
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