Maxx Crosby is officially on the road to recovery. After a grueling 2025 campaign where he battled through pain week after week, the Las Vegas Raiders' star defensive end underwent successful meniscus surgery on Wednesday. True to his “Mad Maxx” persona, Crosby didn't waste any time sending a message to the rest of the league.
Taking to Instagram post-surgery, the three-time Pro Bowler kept it brief but defiant: “Great Risk = Great Reward…. Got Work To Do. Reset & Reload… Year 8 Will Be The Greatest Year Yet.”
That “risk” refers to Crosby playing on a compromised knee for most of the season. He originally sustained the injury back in mid-October against the Kansas City Chiefs but refused to sit out, grinding through 15 games before finally being shut down for the last two weeks of the year.
Even on one good leg, Crosby was a force of nature. A quick look at the season stats shows just how dominant he remained. He finished the 2025 season with 10.0 sacks, 73 total tackles, and a staggering 28 tackles for loss. While the Raiders struggled to a disappointing 3-14 record, Crosby was the undeniable heartbeat of the defense, proving why he is considered one of the toughest players in the NFL.
Now, the focus shifts to rehab. With the Raiders heading into an offseason full of questions and potential roster turnover, having a healthy Crosby back for the start of training camp is priority number one. If his track record of recovery is anything to go by, opposing quarterbacks in the AFC West should probably start worrying about “Year 8” right now.
