Maxx Crosby announced his commitment to the Las Vegas Raiders a day after a deal that would have sent him to Baltimore was canceled after he failed a physical.
The Ravens walked away from the deal Tuesday night after Crosby came to Baltimore for a physical. He worked out again at the Raiders facility on Wednesday and posted his first public comments since the deal fell through on social media Wednesday night.
“Everything happens for a reason. Believe nothing you hear and half of what you see. I am an interloper. I am back,” Crosby wrote.
Crosby’s relationship with the Raiders soured late last season when the team shut him out against his wishes two games in to undergo surgery on an injured knee.
That led to the decision last week to trade him to Baltimore for two first-round picks and prompted Crosby to post an emotional farewell video to Raiders fans after spending the last seven seasons with the franchise.
But the proposed deal could not be finalized until the league season begins Wednesday and Crosby would have to pass a physical in Baltimore. A person with knowledge of Baltimore’s decision told The Associated Press that Crosby decided to stop the trade after he failed his physical. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the results are private.
“You bring a player in and you try to get as much information as you can,” Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said Wednesday. “We did so, and in our judgment the circumstances did not allow us to complete the player recruitment process.”
With trade options limited and Las Vegas improving its roster due to free agent spending, the Raiders and Crosby now appear ready to band together for the upcoming season.
Crosby, 28, is a five-time Pro Bowler and is considered one of the best defensive ends in the league. He recorded 10 sacks and a career-high 28 tackles for loss last season, and has reached double-digit sacks four times in seven seasons.
Crosby ranks sixth in the NFL with 69 1/2 sacks and is first in tackles for loss with 133 since being drafted by the Raiders in the fourth round in 2019. He ranks third in franchise history in sacks, behind Greg Townsend (107 1/2) and Howie Long (84).
Crosby has four years left on his contract and is owed about $113 million.
