Maxx Crosby says winning is all that matters to him: ‘I want to win more than anything on this planet’

Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby only cares about winning.

The five-time Pro Bowler has established himself as one of the top pass rushers in the league since entering the NFL in 2019, ranking sixth in the league in sacks since that season.

Crosby has accomplished it all from an accolades standpoint, clinching Pro Bowl selections and two All-Pro bids in the process. However, the one thing that’s missing from his resume is success in the postseason. During his seven seasons in the league, Crosby has been to the playoffs just once, losing in the Wild Card round during the 2021 season.

The 28-year-old’s name has been involved in trade rumors since the end of the season, with the veteran defensive end sitting out the final two games due to a meniscus injury.

When the topic of legacy is brought up to Crosby, he acknowledged that winning means everything to him. However, he did say that there are plenty of players who haven’t won a Super Bowl that will be remembered forever.

“Yeah, I would say so,” Crosby said in a one-on-one interview if winning affects legacy. “Every sport is different, though. I wouldn’t say you forget about Myles Garrett because he hasn’t won. I wouldn’t say you forget about Andre Johnson or J.J. Watt because they didn’t win. They’re Hall of Famers too. Devin [Hester] too. There’s a lot of all time greats. I think quarterbacks specifically get judged more off that. But for me personally, that’s all that matters. I want to win more than anything on this planet. That’s why I play. That’s why I’ve done it.”

Since Crosby entered the NFL in 2019, the Raiders have had just one winning season. In fact, they just finished with a 3-14 record, the worst record they’ve posted during Crosby’s tenure. Las Vegas will hold the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft where they’re expected to select the top quarterback in the Indiana Hoosiers’ Fernando Mendoza.

Crosby reiterated that he’s the “most competitive” person you’ll ever meet.

“I’m the most competitive m’fer you’ll ever meet,” said Crosby. “Like everything I do, I’m trying to win. I don’t care if it’s a warm-up or walkthrough, I’m still trying to be in front and I’m not just saying that — you ask my teammates, you they know what I mean. Every guy that’s been with me, that’s how you got to be. I’m trying to win everything I do.

“You got to motivate and push others to be on that type of time. They might not be you. They might never be you, but if you can get them closer to you and have them elevate themselves, and you have a lot of people around you like, ‘I’m not losing, I’m going to compete in everything I do,’ then it translates to Sundays. Because everyone’s competing and trying to be the best version of them and holding themselves to that standard. If you have a bunch of guys that are on, then you’re gonna have a really good chance to win.”

We’ll see what Crosby’s future holds in Las Vegas. He signed a three-year contract extension prior to the start of the 2025 season that will keep him with the Raiders through the 2027 season.

New Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak and team owner Mark Davis have said they want their star pass rusher to return. Meanwhile, Crosby has said the talk of him wanting a trade out of Las Vegas did not come from him.

One thing is clear is that if Crosby does return for another season with the Raiders, they’ll have to start winning soon. If not, their star pass rusher may start running out of patience.