Maxx Crosby is a Raider, both again and still, after a trade to the Ravens fell apart earlier this week. Las Vegas traded Crosby to Baltimore late last week in exchange for two first round picks in a move meant to help the Raiders rebuild and the Ravens reestablish themselves as one of the NFL's top defenses.
Crosby sent a heartfelt message to Ravens fans after the trade, saying he felt like he let them down and couldn't "believe that this is a real thing." That post has since been deleted because a few days later it wasn't a real thing. Right before the trade became official, the Ravens backed out of the trade after Crosby failed his physical.
While the Ravens quickly moved on by signing Trey Hendrickson, Crosby and the Raiders are left with a seemingly awkward situation. The Ravens signed a number of new players and might still be considering moving the defensive end, but Crosby sounds happy to be back, even if he never really left.
In a new post on social media Wednesday night, Crosby sounded defiant, saying he was back and ready to run this "sh--." He also cautioned fans to not believe what they both see and hear.
“Everything happens for a reason,” Crosby wrote. “Believe nothing you hear & half of what you see. I’m a Raider. I’m back. Run that s---.”
Everything Happens For A Reason. Believe Nothing You Hear & Half Of What You See. Im A Raider. I’m Back. Run That Sh*t. 🦅🏴☠️ pic.twitter.com/8IZXiDYMio
— Maxx Crosby (@CrosbyMaxx) March 12, 2026
Should the Raiders end up trading Crosby again, this post will likely be deleted, but for now this seems like a response to the Ravens and anyone else questioning his physical condition. After the trade fell apart, Crosby's agent responded to the medical concerns on social media in a post retweeted by Crosby:
“Maxx continues to be on track in his recovery and if anything is ahead of schedule according to his surgeon Dr Neal El Attrache. Maxx remains on track to return during the offseason program & will undoubtedly return as the dominant game wrecker he has been these past 7 seasons.”
Crosby was selected by the Raiders in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL draft. In his seven seasons with the franchise, he's made five Pro Bowls, but the team has only made the playoffs once, way back in 2021.
Crosby carries a $36-million cap hit this year. It's unclear what happens next for Crosby, who is a win-now player, but the Raiders are likely to be starting a rookie quarterback next season and building for the future.
As much as Crosby loves playing for Raiders fans, NFL careers are short. So how long does he want to keep playing for a team that hasn't finished above .500 since '21?
It is incredibly rare for one player to stay with one team for an entire career so if the Raiders don't quickly turn things around with Crosby being a key component of that, it seems more like a question of when and not if the two sides will part ways.
Though keep in mind if you're seeing this you should only believe half of it.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Defiant Maxx Crosby to Raiders Fans: ‘Believe Nothing You Hear & Half of What You See'.
