LAS VEGAS — Las Vegas Raiders coach Pete Carroll confirmed Friday that defensive end Maxx Crosby will miss Sunday’s game against the New York Giants due to a knee injury.
Crosby chose to leave the facility after being informed of the decision, and Carroll supported his decision. “He knows he’s banged up and said he’d like to get out of here. I told him to go, and I completely agree with how he handled it,” Carroll said.
The star defensive end has been managing a lingering knee issue since the Raiders’ 31-0 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 7 but had played in every game until now. Crosby did not practice this week, and after evaluation, the coaching staff decided it was best to rest their top defensive player.
Carroll noted that Crosby might also sit out the season finale against the Chiefs, though no final decision has been made. He added that this choice won’t affect their relationship, and the two spoke multiple times on Friday.
Crosby, who earned his fifth consecutive Pro Bowl nod after recording 10 sacks and 45 tackles (including a career-best 28 for loss) in 15 games, emphasized earlier this week that his focus remains on being the best defensive end and leader, not on the team’s draft positioning.
Crosy is the third Raider starter sidelined for Week 17, following tight end Brock Bowers and safety Jeremy Chinn, who were placed on injured reserve. The outcome of Sunday’s game will determine who controls the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
