Maxx Crosby shuts the door on meddling in Raiders' affairs after 4-13 end to season

As the cornerstone of the franchise, Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby is very aware of how much influence he has in the building. That much was evident last year when Crosby publicly advocated for Antonio Pierce to be named the full-time coach of the Raiders after he took over in an interim capacity.

This year, the Raiders are in a familiar spot after yet another losing season. Pierce's future has been up in the air for some time, though it appears the Raiders are willing to stick with him for one more year.

UPDATE: The Raiders have fired Antonio Pierce.

Crosby, however, made it clear that he will play no part in any front-office decisions this year. During an appearance on Sirius XM's "Let's Go! Podcast" with Peter King and Jim Gray, Crosby said:

“Last year I was very vocal about wanting AP here. That’s very well-known. I don’t take that back. Where I’m currently at, that’s not my job. I’m going to be real. That’s not my job. I know my influence. I know what winning looks like. At the end of the day, I am strictly focused on what I do best. Being at my best is going to help my teammates, my coaches.

"I have a great relationship with Mark. Me and Mark have been close for years. I love the guy to death. We have great conversations all the time. But at the end of the day, he’s going to do what he thinks is best.”

---

Where Maxx Crosby's Las Vegas Raiders stand in the 2025 NFL Draft

While the Raiders steered clear of making any major decisions on Black Monday, firing Pierce leaves a lot of questions.

The Raiders don't have a franchise quarterback on the roster. Given the fact that the Tennessee Titans and Cleveland Browns have the No. 1 and No. 2 overall picks in April's draft, respectively, Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward are potentially out of reach. The QB-needy New York Giants hold the No. 3 overall pick, further complicating matters.

Three weeks ago, the Raiders were a shoo-in for the No. 1 overall pick. However, with two wins over their last three, the reality is that they will have to trade up from #6 to go get Shedeur Sanders and offer a package to beat the New York Giants to the punch.