It’s been four years since the Las Vegas Raiders relocated from Oakland, but star defensive end Maxx Crosby remembers the environment as if it were yesterday. While on his podcast, The Rush, this past week, Crosby was asked by a fan whether he missed the infamous “Black Hole” fan section in Oakland, and he answered “absolutely.”
“It’s funny, I was just talking about this today, and someone was asking me, ‘Did you play for the Oakland Raiders at one point?’ And I was like, ‘That year, I’ll never forget it, for many reasons, good and bad,’” Crosby said. “The fans in Oakland, I’m so happy I got to experience that, and obviously it was the last year in Oakland, and the fans—I can’t even explain.”
Crosby explained that the raucous support in Oakland was a revelation to him after playing in front of relatively small crowds in college at Eastern Michigan. He said the contrast really hit home during a Monday night home game against the rival Denver Broncos.
“They’re throwing s--- on the field. People are falling out of the stands. A s--- show,” Crosby said. “By the time the fourth quarter hits, you get the wave of kush going through the whole stadium. I’m looking around and all the guys are like, ‘Welcome to Oakland.’ I’m like, this is legendary. I’ve got so much love for Oakland.”
Crosby was a rookie in 2019 when the Raiders played their last season in Oakland. It was a somewhat-forgettable year due to the team’s 7–9 record. But regardless, Crosby clearly remembers the “Black Hole” fondly.
