Maxx Crosby Reveals Raiders Rookie That He Didn’t Get Along With Last Season originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Over the years, Maxx Crosby has cemented himself as the face of the Las Vegas Raiders. He’s been their best player for a few seasons now and has embraced the fan base like few players have.
He’s also been one of the leaders of the teams over the course of his career. That means that he’s one of the first players that new players typically talk to. On the surface, 2024 second-round pick Jackson Powers-Johnson and Crosby should’ve been quick friends.
They both play on the line and have very aggressive playing styles. However, it took some work for them to get to a good place. Last season, Crosby admitted that he wasn’t much of a fan of Powers-Johnson.
“Yeah, it’s funny. It’s something, like to be 100% real, like last year, I mean me and Jackson did not have a great relationship,” Crosby told reporters on Wednesday.
“I’m hard on guys, especially young dudes. Like, there’s respect that’s got to be earned when you come into this league, in this locker room, especially. Like, there’s a certain standard I expect from the guys, and he did a lot – like the amount of growth he’s had in the last year has been unbelievable. If I were sitting here a year ago and you would have told me all the stuff he did this offseason to get himself in this position he’s in, I truly wouldn’t believe you, but that’s the beauty in this game.”
It’s unclear why exactly Crosby didn’t like Powers-Johnson, but the young center has earned his respect, and it’ll be interesting to see if he takes a big leap in 2025.
Related: Ex-Raiders Head Coach Antonio Pierce Lands First Job Since Firing
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 25, 2025, where it first appeared.